What It Means to be Human
by Neotokyo9
Summary: The 18th Part one of the 18th chapter is now here, sorry for the wait. Kaneda goes back to NeoTokyo alone to search for his friends. But he then recieves a mysterious telepathic message...
1. Chapter 1 The Mechanic and the Power

Neotokyo9 presents her first drama.  
  
"What It Means to be Human" Part 1  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Akira or any of its characters. I only own Valerie. I am simply a Canadian fanfic authoress with a great passion for the work of Mr. Otomo. I hope that you all enjoy this.  
  
Summary: This story takes place one year after the events in the Akira anime, and tells the story of a woman who finds a little boy all alone in the Olympic Stadium and begins to take care of him. But little does she know that this child is the epitome of power, and that just by being around him, her own hidden powers are beginning to emerge.  
  
Chapter 1- The Mechanic and the Power  
  
As she continued to venture forward into the rubble, she felt a peculiar sensation envelop her very being. It was almost as though she could sense everything that had happened here, despite the fact that although she had lived in Neo-Tokyo her entire life, all twenty five years of it, she had never once set foot on the grounds of the once nearly completed Olympic Stadium. Valerie stopped for just a moment to shake these strange feelings off, shaking her head and brushing a few stray strands of bright blue dyed hair out of her face. Valerie was a mechanic and a scrap dealer. She could build or fix anything, and had the uncanny ability to command respect from anyone, even the Clowns. She had heard all about what had gone down a year ago, when a teenage boy apparently when insane and killed many people before there was this enormous explosion in the shape of a white dome, which wiped out much of the city and a large part of the population. She had returned to Neo- Tokyo a week after these events, when major repairs were already in full swing. She had even heard rumors that the boy was Tetsuo Shima, with whom she had shared a drink or two with him and his friends at a little place called the Harukiya. She had always found him to be a strange boy, but not strange enough to pull off something that horrible. But if the rumors were not true, then were had Tetsuo disappeared to. His friends would not tell her. Again Valerie shook her head and pressed on into the stadium itself, occasionally stopping to pick up some scrap metal, parts and even wire and cable which she could repair and sell in her shop later. Her cart was nearly full now after about an hour of scrounging about the empty rubble filled stadium. Valerie decided to take a break from her efforts and sat down on a large piece of concrete, which was once one of the spectator's stands. She had only just sat down when she could have sworn she heard a cry of pain coming from the middle of the stadium. Valerie looked around, trying to locate the source of the sound, only to be met with silence.  
  
Valerie- "I'm probably just hearing things. That was probably a piece of metal scraping down the side of the walls or something."  
  
And then she heard the cry again, and this time it sounded much more human. And it would not stop. Valerie decided that she should see who was in trouble. She was a rarity. She had a big conscience that told her that if there really was someone in the stadium with her, then it was her duty to see if she could help him or her. It was her nature, and it was one of the reasons why she was so well respected even by the lowest dregs of the city. She jumped and ran over the rubble, getting closer to the cries of pain, the skies overhead beginning to pour down a heavy rain, soaking Valerie to the skin. She called out to whoever was there.  
  
Valerie- "HEY! WHERE ARE YOU? CAN YOU HEAR ME? HELLO!'  
  
And a voice like that of a child answered back.  
  
".Help.me.please."  
  
Valerie ran in the direction of the voice and finally ended up high in the stands, in front of what used to be a large concrete throne, one armrest looking as though a hand had somehow crushed it, the floor all around her surrounded by bits of broken glass. One of the larger shards had writing on it, which for some reason, Valerie felt compelled to read out loud.  
  
Valerie- ".Aki.what is this?"  
  
Suddenly the cries grew louder, and she whipped her head around to see were it was coming from, dropping the glass shard. That was when she saw who had been making the cries for help. A little boy, who could not have been more than ten or twelve years old was pinned to the ground by a large flat slab of concrete, his arm bleeding rather profusely from a cut caused by a nearby shard of steel. Valerie rushed over to him, and attempted to lift the concrete off the boy's chest, all the while talking to him in order to calm him down.  
  
Valerie- "Don't worry kid, you're going to be okay. I'm not letting anything bad happen to you, so don't worry."  
  
Putting all of her strength and will into it, she finally managed to shift the slab aside, setting it down well away from the boy. Finally able to breath comfortably, the kid fell unconscious. Valerie stopped for a moment to catch her breath, covered his bare body with her jacket and reached for the handkerchief in her left jeans pocket, quickly making a crude bandage for the boy's arm.  
  
Valerie- "There. Now that the bleeding's stopped, I should take him back home with me. I can't just leave the little guy here all alone. Who in their right mind would let their kid come to a place like this anyway? Don't worry little guy, I'll take you to the police station in the morning, and maybe they'll be able to find your parents. Hello, what's this?"  
  
Carefully turning the boy's hand so that she could see his palm, Valerie clearly saw some sort of tattoo on it.a number twenty eight was clearly visible. She found this to be quite peculiar. The same strange feeling that she had felt before began to take over once again. She picked him up and headed down the steps of the Stadium towards her parts cart. It was time to leave this place of death behind.for now.  
  
Horrible images poured into his mind as he slept. The blood and the pain of these memories ran rampant. He just wanted them to stop, that's all. He wanted all of the sadness that had been born as a result of his power to be wiped out forever. Finally, he had had enough.  
  
"STOP IT NOW!!"  
  
He bolted upright, now fully awake from his disturbed slumber, his breath coming out in short gasps. That was when he became aware of his current surroundings. He was lying in a simple wood frame bed with a big fluffy white pillow, white sheets and a thick gray woolen blanket. Morning sunlight was streaming in through a small square window right above his head, brightening the color of the extra large orange t-shirt he was wearing in place of pajamas. The room itself was rectangular, painted a pale blue color, which he found somewhat comforting. As he looked around the bedroom, he slowly began to relax and lay back down. He began to remember what had happened to him last night. He had been sensing a new form of psychokinetic energy in the physical world ever since the night he had been reborn and had taken Tetsuo away from the physical plain. He had used every inch of his energy to escape his own personal universe and emerge into Neo-Tokyo once again. When he did emerge however, the residual energy he emitted caused rubble from the once semi-completed roof to cave in, pinning him under a large piece of concrete and cut by a piece of steel. Then after about two hours, a young woman with long blue hair finally rescued him. After that, he could not remember a thing. And now he was lying in a nice warm bed, clothed, and presumably in the home of the one who had rescued him. He even had a bandage on his arm were the steel had slashed him. All of a sudden there was a knock on the door.  
  
Valerie- "I'm coming in, okay?"  
  
".Okay."  
  
The door opened, and he saw that it was the girl with blue hair. She pushed in a trolley that was normally used to cart tools around her garage. It was now sparkling clean and had a plate of food and a glass of orange juice on one side. On the other side of the trolley was a small stack of old clothing, presumably for him.  
  
Valerie- "Glad to see you're finally awake kid, I was worried. I've got some breakfast for you here when you feel like eating, and when you are done you can get dressed. I new that these old clothes would come in handy one of these days."  
  
".Who are you?"  
  
Valerie- "Well, my name's Valerie Chikara, but everybody just calls me Valerie."  
  
".Chikara?"  
  
Valerie- "It means "power" I think. So, what's your name?"  
  
".I don't want to say."  
  
Valerie- "Well why not? If I'm to find your parents, I need to know it. Don't you want to go home?"  
  
"I don't have any family, nor do I have a home."  
  
Valerie- ".Oh, I see. So your all alone in this world, huh?"  
  
".In many ways."  
  
Valerie- "Can you at least tell me how you ended up at the stadium and what you were doing there?"  
  
"I'm sorry, but I don't think that I can tell anyone just yet."  
  
Valerie- "Well I've never been one to pry into the privacy of anyone, not even a strange little kid like you. Okay, you don't have to tell me anything until you are good and ready. In the meantime, you're welcome to stay here. It's not much, but it beats the street. Just promise me that you won't go outside the building unless I happen to be with you."  
  
".How come?"  
  
Valerie- "Well let's just say that this part of town isn't exactly the friendliest of places to live. Now until you feel like telling me your real name, I'm going to give you a nickname."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Valerie- "Well I can't just call you "kid" all the time. You have any ideas?"  
  
"No.um, that light bulb above us is flashing."  
  
Valerie- "Just ignore that, most things in this place are usually flashing, beeping or sparking or something.Hey, that gives me an idea! How about I call you Spark for a while? Is that okay with you?"  
  
"Yes, it's all right."  
  
Valerie- "Great! Now that that is all taken care of, lets have some breakfast, okay Spark?"  
  
Akira smiled at the thought of his new nickname and that from now on he would never again have to be plagued by the incredible power that he wielded. He could live a normal life for the first time ever. Then a feeling of dread swept over him. Not only would the scientists of this place be searching for more auras to manipulate, which might result in them finding him, but he also realized that if he had the power to escape his own universe, then one power in particular would eventually be able to find its way out as well. So as Akira, now Spark, began to eat, he could only hope that Tetsuo would never find a way out. If he did, he would no longer be in the grip of insanity, but he would have total control of his powers, and that could only spell disaster in Akira's eyes.  
  
Akira (Thinking)- "I am power itself. I am the greatest power in the history of the earth. I can crush whole countries in a single blast without breaking a sweat. But I don't want that anymore. I just want to be as human as everyone else."  
  
But Akira's wish for a normal life would not come true for a long time. He would have to go through many painful choices, fights and sacrifices before his dream would come true. 


	2. Chapter 2 A Painful Premonition

Chapter 2- A Painful Premonition  
  
It was a new day in Neo-Tokyo, and for once it seemed, there were no clouds in the sky to obstruct the sun's glorious rays. But Kaneda, the last person to see Tetsuo and the strange children, ignored the beauty of the early morning. Ever since that fateful day, a cloud of misery seemed to hang over him. He knew that he should be thankful for what he had. He had Kei and Kai, who had helped him get them all jobs at a garage despite it being deep in clown territory. But despite all of the good that was just now coming his way he still missed his friends. A loud beep from his watch told him that it was time to go to work in a couple of minutes. He heaved a great sigh and left the sunshine filled bathroom of the small apartment they all shared. Kai was standing next to the door, and Kaneda could tell by the look on his face that he had been waiting to get in for quite a while.  
  
Kai- "Well are you all squeaky clean now, huh? What the hell were you doing anyway?!"  
  
Kaneda- "If you really want to know, I was doing what you're about to do to your pants if I don't get out of your way." *snicker*  
  
Kai- "THEN GET OUT OF THE WAY!"  
  
Kai then pushes Kaneda off to one side, runs into the bathroom and slams the door. Kaneda could hear a sigh of relief coming from the room. Just to be a pain in the ass, he started to kick the door.  
  
Kaneda- "Come on now! We all have to go to work soon!"  
  
Kei suddenly appears from the opposite end of the hallway, laughing her butt off.  
  
Kei- "NANI?! Shotaro Kaneda would rather go to work on a Saturday than stay here and work out in the basement or tinker with his bike? That's a good one!"  
  
Kaneda- "Oh be quiet, I just feel like I've been cooped up a little lately and.  
  
Kai (yelling from the bathroom)-"She isn't kissing you, huh?"  
  
Kaneda and Kei- "Shut the hell up Kaisuke!"  
  
Just then the phone in the hall rings. Kei tells the two friends to be quiet so that she can answer the call."  
  
Kei- "Hello, this is Kei speaking.Oh hi Valerie, what's up? .Oh really? That is strange.A kid?! So where did you find him? .The stadium, what were you doing there? Parts huh? .Well if he won't tell you his name, then he must be shy. I think that I can help you out. So Valerie, when do you want us to.hey, you okay? You don't sound too good, maybe you should.*a scream of pain is heard on the other end of the line followed by crashing sounds and frightened yells before the line gets disconnected. * Hello? HELLO?!"  
  
Kei slams the phone down and turns to Kai and Kaneda, Kai having just stepped out of the bathroom. Kei had a terrified look on her face. The same kind of look she had had when she and Kai saw the vortex a year ago.  
  
Kei- "I think Valerie's in trouble, we've got to go, NOW!"  
  
The trio was on their way and reached Valerie's garage within ten minutes. Hastily parking their bikes in the garage, they searched for Valerie frantically. Then Kai spotted someone moving in the side room were Valerie kept all of her spare parts, so they ran in. There they found their boss and the little boy that Valerie had mentioned to Kei on the phone, looking very scared. Valerie was lying on the floor, moaning and sobbing in pain, clutching her head as though it was about to explode. Kaneda, acting on instinct, rushed over to her and tried to ask her what the problem was. And all she could say was.  
  
Valerie- ".pppaaaiiinnn.it.ahhhh! He's coming.AAAAHHHH!!"  
  
Kaneda became very scared all of a sudden. He remembered that Tetsuo had acted this way when he had received his powers. What was making his boss act this way? Why was she in so much pain? She was just fine yesterday. And what did she mean by "He's coming"? Right then and there, Valerie suddenly became very quiet. She was not moving. She had blacked out. The little boy that had been right by her side the whole time was having a very hard time calming down, so Kei tried to help him.  
  
Kaneda- "Kai, help me carry her into her living room, and Kei, make sure that the kid is okay. Just tell him that she'll be fine. Let's hurry!"  
  
She stood in an enormous room that was lavishly decorated with fairy tale pictures and scenes of nature. The center of the vast room sported a tall tree, which appeared to be growing healthy. Valerie also noticed the many toys that were scattered all over the floor, and that one section of the room was partially closed off by what appeared to be a castle battlement. She felt as though as she was flying through the room, moving past the tree and through the battlement, and what she saw completely shocked her. Someone was attacking three children, all of whom had wrinkled blue skin. They were being beaten very badly. She called out to the one who was attacking them.  
  
Valerie- "Hey, stop it right now! .Oh my god.it's you.how."  
  
The boy sneered at Valerie, muttering something about going home, and with a flick of his wrist, the boy moved in for the kill.  
  
Valerie- "STOP IT TETSUO, STOOOOOOOOPPPPP!!!"  
  
Valerie sprang upright from the couch, which caused the cold compress on her forehead to fall into her lap. She was still screaming when she felt a strong pair of hands grip her shoulders, and that was when she saw Kaneda holding her, trying to calm her down.  
  
Kaneda- "Hey boss hush up now, it's okay, it was just a bad dream! Just a dream, calm down okay?"  
  
Valerie slowly stopped her frightened yells, and breathed slowly to try and relax herself. She looked around her living room and saw Kei sitting with Spark on the other couch opposite to the one she was lying on. A few quiet minutes clicked by and then Kai walked in with a few cups of coffee for everyone, except for Spark that is. Spark's drink was a big steaming mug of hot chocolate of Kai's own recipe, minus the alcohol. After passing the mugs around the room, everyone sat down together around the coffee table, trying to sort out exactly what had happened to Valerie, and also what to do about Spark. After an uncomfortable silence that lasted about a minute, Kaneda spoke up and directed a question towards the blue haired mechanic.  
  
Kaneda- "Did you happen to find Spark anywhere in the Olympic Stadium were there was a large stone official's throne by any chance?"  
  
Valerie- "Yes I did Shotaro."  
  
Kaneda- "Were there any broken jars there or something?"  
  
Valerie- "How did you know that? What is it that you guys know about all of this?"  
  
Kei- ".Valerie?"  
  
Valerie- "Yes Kei?  
  
Kei- ".Does Spark have a tattoo on his hand?"  
  
Valerie- "Yes, a number twenty eight."  
  
It was here that Spark began to fidget and whimper. He also had a very guilty sort of look upon his face, which told Valerie that this number and stadium business was distressing, but especially to him. She also noticed the very fearful look in Kei's eyes.  
  
Valerie- "Kei, why is Spark's tattoo such a big deal here?"  
  
Kei- "It's because, Valerie, that his name is not Spark at all.he is the very definition of energy. Valerie, his name is ..."  
  
But at that precise moment, Spark looked over at Valerie and spoke with an eerie intelligence to his voice.  
  
Spark- ".I saw what you dreamed, I saw everything. The power is coming to you and that should not be taken lightly. Think of me what you will when all of this has come to a conclusion, but you must hear this. When he was talking about going home, he meant it."  
  
They all sat there holding their breath, for the next words that he would state would change their lives once again.  
  
Spark- "My name is Akira, and Tetsuo will be coming home very shortly, make no mistake about that." 


	3. Chapter 3 The Forty First Child Returns

Chapter 3- The Forty First Child Returns  
  
At that same moment on the other side of town in a small elementary school playground, a little girl was playing a game of soccer with her friends. The game was getting pretty exciting, and she just happened to kick the ball a little too hard, so it ended up in the bushes near the brick wall that surrounded the school.  
  
"Don't worry guys, I'll get it!"  
  
She ran over to the bushes and got down on her hands and knees, feeling around with her hands for the ball. She touched something soft but it wasn't the soccer ball. Curious as to what the unknown object was, she crawled into the bushes to investigate.  
  
".AAAHHH!!"  
  
The girl's cries were heard by her friends who ran over to the bushes only to find the girl in hysterics and to catch a glimpse of a bare skinned teenage boy leaping over the wall and out of sight. And one of those kids could have sworn that he was glowing just a little. Glowing red.  
  
The boy finally stopped in a very dark, dank alleyway, short of breath and physically exhausted. His small dark eyes darted around the cramped space until his gaze fell upon a box full of old clothes that somebody had carelessly thrown away. After rummaging in the box for a minute or so he put on a pair of faded blue jeans, a short-sleeved pale blue shirt and a pair of leather sandals. His energy now expended, he crouched down in a corner using a piece of sheet metal as a makeshift shelter from the rain that now began to fall down on the city, the city that had once been his home. The boy raised his weary head up and looked at the darkening sky with a heavy sigh.  
  
"God.I just hope you're still alive. Why the hell did I do all that? Please forgive me buddy.please forgive me Kaneda."  
  
Fatigue then took over and the teen lay down and let sleep overtake him. Tetsuo Shima was home once again, seeking atonement. And he promised himself that no matter what the cost, he would set things right. For now, Tetsuo knew that he had to sleep in order to get both his physical and mental strength back. He was not entirely sure how he had managed to escape from Akira's personal universe, but it had taken every ounce of willpower and energy to do it. Now that he was asleep, he would not awaken until his power had been replenished. Tetsuo did not know how long that would take. He did not care how long it took. At the very least he could now fully control his special abilities, which included the power to mutate his body, which had been what destroyed the one whom he loved. The mutation disgusted him, but he had a strange feeling that he was going to need all of his abilities at their peak very soon. And heaven help anyone who would try to use him as a lab rat or a weapon. He would never let that happen again. A whole new trial would soon begin. 


	4. Chapter 4 The Hunt for Spark

Chapter 4- The Hunt for Spark  
  
Back in Valerie's living room, it was very quiet. Akira a.k.a. Spark had just told his one and only friend who he really was and now he explained to everyone that Valerie's own hidden psychic powers were starting to emerge due to his presence, which of course shocked them as much as when he revealed his identity. Now everyone was sitting perfectly still, staring at him. None of the others said a word. Finally Kai decided that now would be a good time to break the silence.  
  
Kai: "So what do we do now?"  
  
Kaneda: "How should I know? This is really nuts."  
  
Akira: "You could just destroy me."  
  
Valerie's expression now changed from one of pure shock to that of concern.  
  
Valerie: "Now why would we want to do that?"  
  
Akira: "As you all must be aware of now, I have highly destructive power within my being. It is easily controlled for now, but what would happen if I lost that control? I'll tell you. The same thing that happened thirty years ago and just last year will happen again and considering the state of the city at the moment the effects will be horrible. It would probably be in everyone's best interest if I was killed."  
  
Valerie: "No! There has to be another solution!"  
  
Kei: "I am going to have to agree with Akira on this. It is possible that if we kill him then it will eliminate the possibility of another disaster. Plus if he were destroyed then Tetsuo wouldn't be able to come back. It's our best solution."  
  
Valerie was up in the blink of an eye and standing in front of Akira in a protective pose.  
  
Valerie: "It was not his fault that these so called powers of his destroyed the city twice in a row. It's not his fault! You guys said that Tetsuo lost control of his powers and probably didn't know what he was actually doing until the very end! Don't kill Spark, try to find some other way of solving your problems!"  
  
Akira: "Valerie, my name is Akira and my body must be completely destroyed. As much as I'd hate to say it, it's the only way to completely eliminate my powers."  
  
Valerie's lightly tanned skin began to grow pale as what he said began to sink in. Her deep green eyes darted around the room almost like she was in a panic.  
  
Valerie: "No, don't say such things please!"  
  
Kaneda: "Valerie why are you so dead set against this?"  
  
Valerie: "I don't know, I just know that it would be wrong to kill him."  
  
Kei: "It has something to do with Drake doesn't it?"  
  
Valerie's normally quiet voice now became even quieter as Kei mentioned that name. Drake had been a soldier in the old Army of the Metropolis before Tetsuo had received his powers, and the two were a real item. They had even eloped at an old temple far from the city. Drake had always told her that he did not believe in killing innocent people, especially children. Then a short time later Valerie had received a message from Neo Tokyo that her new husband had been killed when his tank was exploded by a teenage boy named Tetsuo Shima. That was all they had told her. And even now she was still in mourning. Yet despite the fact that one from the so called Akira project had killed her true love she still believed that all life, especially young life like that of a child was precious and should not be thrown away so easily. Akira's face took on a look of great concern. In the short time that he had spent with her, he had never seen Valerie break down and cry. In fact he had never seen anyone cry before in his whole life.  
  
Kai: "Oh great, nice move Kei. Now look at what you've done!"  
  
Kei: "Oh my god Valerie I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have brought him up. Please forgive me."  
  
Valerie: "Don't worry about it, I'll be okay. It's alright, I ~~~ oh no.  
  
Kaneda: "Oh no? Oh no what? Valerie what's the matter?"  
  
Valerie: "The army ~~~ the army is coming here. They've found out about Spark somehow!"  
  
Kaneda: "That can't be right Valerie, how could you possibly know if they were or not?"  
  
Akira: "~~~ it's because she can see it in her mind. I can see them coming too."  
  
Kai: "Don't look now but I have a perfect view of the highway from the window here and ~~~ and ~~~THERE'S A BUNCH OF TANKS HEADED RIGHT FOR THIS GARAGE!!"  
  
Kei (looks out the same window): "Oh s**t Valerie was right! We have to leave now before they find us! And we'll definitely have to take Akira with us!"  
  
Kaneda: "And just how are we going to do that huh? If we drive on out of here on the bikes they'll spot us!"  
  
Valerie rushes over to the coat rack and quickly slips on her long black leather jacket.  
  
Valerie: "We'll use the down and out gate to get out of here."  
  
Akira: "~~~ down and out gate?"  
  
Kaneda: "Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that, that's the underground tunnel in the garage that leads into the sewers. You built a ramp leading into the sewers to act as a bomb shelter!"  
  
Kai: "So if we ride the bikes down into the sewer they won't find us here!"  
  
Valerie: "Right, now enough talk. Let's get to the garage before they come bustin' down the door! Spark, come with me."  
  
Akira: "~~~"  
  
Kei: "If they find you here then there's no telling what might happen!"  
  
Valerie: "Come on, I won't let anything happen to you kid."  
  
Akira seemed to calm down a little at these familiar reassuring words. And in the blink of an eye they were down in the garage and quickly moving their bikes over to the opening in the floor. Valerie's bike rivaled Kaneda's in its sheer mechanical beauty. It's shape was almost like that of Kaneda's bike, yet it was painted jet black with gold flames painted on the front and it had two seats built into it and the back of the bike reached over the two seats and connected with the windshield forming a roof. It was the bike she had built for herself and Daniel, and she had not used it since he died.  
  
Kai: "Does that thing still run?"  
  
Valerie: "It runs just fine, I would never let it break down! I even kept it full of fuel! Spark, get in the back seat and put this on."  
  
Valerie handed Akira a helmet that matched the paint job on her bike. Akira put it on and scrambled to get into the back seat of her bike.  
  
Valerie: "Now when we are all in I'll press the button that's on the wall down there and that will shut it. Now hurry up and go down there and wait for me."  
  
Kei, Kaneda and Kai were down the tunnel in a flash, and now it was Valerie and Akira's turn to go down. The two could hear the tanks coming even closer, everything in the garage was shaking and stuff was falling from the shelves and breaking. Valerie's bike roared down into the tunnel ~~~  
  
Valerie: "Guys, they're closer than we thought, keep on driving and make two left turns and head on straight for about two miles and wait for us!"  
  
Even Akira heard Kaneda's now distant voice shout an acknowledgement, and now the sounds of the others bikes began to fade. Valerie stopped her bike long enough for her to run over to the left hand wall and slam her hand onto a big green button. Akira then heard the sound of the gate's doors closing sharply just as the tanks were now in front of the garage. Racing back to her bike, the mechanic jumped into the driver's seat and yelled to Akira to hold on tight. Grasping a firm hold onto the handlebars in the back of the driver's seat Akira let out a loud yell as the great black motorcycle raced through the sewers at top speed, sending up great sheets of water from the large puddles on the floor which had now become their own private highway. After the two left turns Valerie all of a sudden began shouting something that slowly became more and more audible ~~~  
  
Valerie: "HUH?! IT'S ALL IN MY BRAIN, I CAN SEE IT! THE TANKS AREN'T STOPPING AT THE GARAGE, THEY'RE MOVING AWAY FROM US! THEY'RE NOT AFTER YOU; THEY'RE AFTER SOMEONE ELSE!"  
  
Akira: "VALERIE, THEY MUST HAVE THE OLD DEVICES THAT THE MILITARY USED TO MONITOR THE AURAS OF THOSE WHO CAN CONTROL THE POWER!"  
  
Valerie: "WHAT'S AN AURA?"  
  
Akira: "THE PHYSICAL REPRESENTATION OF ONE INDIVIDUAL'S POWERS BASICALLY! MY AURA MUST NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH FOR THEM TO DETECT YET BECAUSE MY POWER WAS WEAKENED WHEN I RETURNED TO THIS PLAIN. YOUR POWERS ARE NOT YET FULLY DEVELOPED YET SO YOUR AURA ISN'T VERY STRONG. SO WHO'S AURA ARE THEY DETECTING?!"  
  
Valerie: "COULD IT POSSIBLY BE TETSUO?"  
  
Akira: "I SURE HOPE NOT, IF IT REALLY IS HIM THEN THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT HE IS STILL NOT MENTALLY STABLE. IF IT IS HIM HE MIGHT ATTACK THE TANKS AND KILL THOSE PEOPLE!"  
  
Valerie: "WON'T THEY TRY TO KILL HIM IF HE DOES?"  
  
Akira: "I DON'T THINK SO, EVEN WHEN I WAS JUST STARTING TO AWAKEN MY POWERS THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MILITARY WANTED ALL OF THE TEST SUBJECTS TO STAY ALIVE SO I DOUBT THAT THEY WOULD KILL HIM RIGHT AWAY. IF IT IS HIM THEN HE'S PROBABLY STILL WEAK FROM RE-ENTERING THIS PLAIN. HE'S PROBABLY WEAKER THAN I WAS CONSIDERING THE STATE HE WAS IN WHEN HE LEFT."  
  
Valerie: "THEN LET'S CATCH UP TO THE OTHERS AND TRY TO FIND HIM BEFORE THEY DO!"  
  
Not too far away, the sleeping Tetsuo awakens to the sound of tanks closing in on him. He tries to get up in order to run away and hide but he falls back down again, still too weak to do anything. Fear began to rise up inside of him as he realized that when the tanks found him, he would either wind up a lab rat once more, or get slaughtered.  
  
Tetsuo: "I've never felt so helpless before. Maybe this is punishment. But I never got to tell Kaneda that I'm sorry. Please ~~~ somebody help me."  
  
That was when the teen felt a strange rumbling along with a familiar sound coming from deep underground, and just like the tanks it was getting closer. Then he heard the tanks stop. He looked up and saw a bunch of soldiers and scientists come into the alleyway. One of the scientists was holding some sort of portable aura scanning device. The scientist then pointed to him and shouted ~~~  
  
Scientist: "It's him, the forty first test subject. Retrieve the body for testing after completing termination. On my mark, one ~~~ two ~~~"  
  
Tetsuo shut his eyes and braced himself ~~~  
  
Scientist: "Thr ~~~ what the hell?!"  
  
At that moment a large section of the floor of the alley that was right in front of Tetsuo opened up and out came four motorbikes, one of them a very familiar red machine.  
  
Tetsuo: " ~~~ Kaneda?! ~~~"  
  
Valerie drove right up to the soldiers and scientists brandishing her large hunting knife.  
  
Valerie: "Lower your guns and back off or you'll wish you're mamma never gave birth to ya!"  
  
The four bikers and Valerie's passenger had the element of surprise on their side. And the people in the alley could just barely make out a faint green aura around Valerie and a white aura around her passenger. 


	5. Chapter 5 Emerald Eyes

Chapter 5- Emerald Eyes  
  
Valerie: "I'm not gonna tell you again, get away or you're dead!"  
  
The scientists are looking quite shocked. She is clearly not one of the original test subjects and the one emitting the white glow seemed oddly familiar to some of the older scientists. Then one of those older ones cried out ~~~"  
  
"SWEET MOTHER OF GOD, Its AKIRA!! CATCH HIM AND THE GIRL FAST, SHE'LL BE THE 42ND SUBJECT!"  
  
Kaneda: "She's no lab rat, now get out of here or you're dead meat!"  
  
And yet despite these warnings the soldiers came in closer, their guns at the ready. One of them raised a gas grenade, pulled the pin and threw it. But as if on instinct Valerie waved her arm and the grenade flew into the sky, controlled by her powers, and with a loud bang the grenade exploded well out of harms way. The soldiers and scientists looked very scared now. The scientist leading the troops shouted a full retreat. A few minutes later they were gone, leaving the strange little group alone in the alley. It took Valerie and Akira a few moments to calm themselves down and let their auras dissipate.  
  
Kai: "Damn, they sure took off in a hurry."  
  
Kaneda: "Yeah. Like a bat outta hell. Oh man, Tetsuo!"  
  
Kaneda rushed over to his old friend, and when he looked at him he was quite shocked. His arm had somehow grown back which was good and all, but the rest of Tetsuo's appearance was definatly different. His skin had turned the color of slate and was stretched tightly over his bones as though he had not eaten in a very long time. His eyes, which Kaneda had always known to be a light brown had turned emerald green and his hair had turned as white as snow. Plus that, he was bleeding badly from a cut on his chest which not even Tetsuo had noticed before. Kaneda knelt down and looked his friend square in the eyes.  
  
Kaneda: "What the hell happened to you?"  
  
Tetsuo looked him in the eyes, smiled feebly at him and fell into a deep sleep, not only due to his already being very weak but also due to the loss of blood. Behind him Kaneda heard a gasp from Kai. Kaneda stood up and rushed to his side.  
  
Kaneda: "What, what is it?"  
  
Kai: "He ~~~ he said something, I heard it."  
  
Kei: "Kaisuke, Kaneda was right next to him and I don't think he heard anything, did you Kaneda?'  
  
Kaneda: "No I didn't."  
  
Akira: "What did you hear him say?"  
  
Kai: "He said that he was ~~~ he said he was a ~~~"  
  
Valerie: "A monster. He said he was a monster that didn't deserve to be rescued by us. Kai, you heard it in your head didn't you?"  
  
Everyone looked at Kai who was shaking like a leaf. Even he knew what this meant. He was somehow developing powers as well as Valerie. Valerie's attitude suddenly changed as she went over to her bike and got out a first aid kit by opening a few locks and lifting up her bike's front seat. She took the kit over to the transformed Tetsuo and proceeded to wipe the blood off of his front with a clean cloth.  
  
Valerie: "Kei, watch the alley entrance. Make sure that those bozos don't come back while I'm doing this. And Kaneda, try to calm Kai down, he looks like he's about to fall apart."  
  
Kei: "Valerie, there's a pickup truck heading right this way!"  
  
Kaneda: "Take the bikes to the back of the alley and try to hide and keep quiet!"  
  
Valerie paused Tetsuo's treatment long enough to get Akira out of his seat and take her bike to the end of the damp alley. They all hid behind the bikes except for Tetsuo and Kaneda, who hid behind the sheet metal that Tetsuo had been using as a primitive shelter. Even while they hid Valerie pressed the now blood soaked cloth against the gaping cut in the teen's chest in an effort to stop the blood, which was now staining her own clothes. Kai peeked over his bike just long enough to see one man get out of the truck which was now parked were the tanks had been before. It was then that Kai heard whimpering next to him. He turned and saw Akira who was staring at the bloodstained Valerie and the injured Tetsuo. Akira had gone as white as a sheet and his fearful noises were getting louder and louder.  
  
Kaneda (whispering): "Would you tell him to calm down!"  
  
Valerie (whispering): "I don't think I can. He must be scared of blood."  
  
Akira tried his hardest to ignore his fear but it was simply too much for him to bear. Like Kiyoko, Takashi and Masaru he too was a hemophobic, which meant that he had a great fear of anyone's blood. He could not take it even one second longer. He screamed so loudly that it caught the attention of the man from the truck, which was now running towards them.  
  
Kaneda: "Son of a b****! Get ready to ride on out of here!"  
  
At the very last second before the man reached them, he shouted into the dark end of the alley ~~~  
  
"Who's there? Are you alright?"  
  
Kei (gasping): "Colonel Shikishima, is that you out there?" 


	6. Chapter 6 Into the Woodland Paradise

Chapter 6- Into the Woodland Paradise  
  
Colonel: "Kei, just what in the name of old Tokyo are you doing back here?!"  
  
Kei: Those tanks were chasing us for some reason, I bet they think we're terrorists or something."  
  
Colonel: "Very funny, now what's the real reason?"  
  
Kaneda pointed in Valerie's direction and the colonel looked. He ended up seeing Tetsuo of course, which caused the now retired military man to go ballistic.  
  
Colonel: "What the f*** is he doing here, I thought he was dead! Is this some kind of joke?!"  
  
Kai: "It's no joke sir, that's him. He somehow regained enough power to return to the physical plain. We found him a little while ago, they were going to lynch him and use his body for testing. He's really hurt. Can you help us?"  
  
It was obvious to even the most simple-minded person that the Colonel was very agitated. And who could blame him? Because of this boy Neo-Tokyo was a half dead community barley able to keep most of the population from leaving its borders. It was because of him that the Colonel had decided to retire from the army and move out of the city and out into the far off countryside were few lived. He occasionally went into the city to see Kei and her friends, but that was mainly to check up on how they were doing and not for his own sake. He sometimes saw Valerie too in order to be a shoulder to cry on. He had been one of Drake's commanding officers so he felt somewhat obligated to do so. But to give help to the one who destroyed so many lives ~~~ he had no idea what to do. Then a little boy who had been sitting there next to Valerie stood up and moved from behind her bike and faced the Colonel. He then held up his hand, the hand with the tattoo on it, which immediately identified himself to the Colonel, who had now turned pale ~~~  
  
Colonel: "How is that possible? You're ~~~ are you ~~~"  
  
Akira: "Colonel Shikishima, I am the one called Akira, but I am also known as Spark now. Tell me, how powerful am I?"  
  
Colonel: "You ~~~ oh my god ~~~ you're the strongest one of all."  
  
Akira: "That is accurate. And because of that one truth, I do have some authority on what you call the power, and I can tell you right now that the power contained within Tetsuo was indeed a dangerous weapon, but no longer. The people who gave him his power thrust it onto him without any prior training and without any guidance what so ever. It therefore poisoned his mind and drove him mad, making him think that the entire earth was against him."  
  
Colonel: "Are you trying to say that it was not his fault that he did all those terrible things?"  
  
Akira: "He was not ready, unlike all of the other official test subjects before him."  
  
Colonel: "What do you mean by official test subjects?"  
  
Akira turned around and pointed at Valerie and Kai.  
  
Akira: "Valerie with her kind and caring heart was in the Olympic Stadium looking for spare parts when I rematerialized into this world. It was in such close proximity that my energy awakened her sleeping abilities. So far she has demonstrated premonition, heightened senses, mind reading and the ability to make her aura physical. And Kaisuke just a short moment ago demonstrated a small amount of mind reading. He probably absorbed a very small fraction of Tetsuo's powers when Tetsuo killed his friend Yamagata.  
  
Kai: "How did you know about that?!"  
  
Akira: "I saw it of course."  
  
Valerie: "So that's how we have powers now! Man, this is really strange and scary isn't it?"  
  
Colonel: "Well it's going to get even scarier if we don't get out of here! I'm guessing that you guys somehow managed to scare those soldiers off, but make no mistake they'll be back. Everybody get on your bikes and follow me and my truck, I know the quickest way out of the city. You guys can stay with me until we figure out a solution to our predicament."  
  
Kaneda: "It's better than staying here and getting blown away. C'mon guys, let's move it!"  
  
Kei: "We'll put Tetsuo in the back of the truck. I'll load my bike in the truck as well and make sure that he doesn't get any worse than he already is."  
  
Everyone agreed to that and in just a few short minutes the odd little group of seven people was on their way out of the city and headed towards the mountains that the colonel now called home. It was a long drive; they had to drive for about six hours to even get close to their destination. And as they drove on, signs of civilization slowly disappeared, giving way to more nature than any of them had ever seen before. Cherry blossoms flew like pink snowflakes, filling the air with their sweet scent. Despite all that had happened to them in such a short space of time there was still beauty left in the world. Cicadas buzzed and the sound of the brooks and streams was so relaxing. They now turned down a grassy path heavily shielded by trees, the sunlight from the cloudless sky streamed down through the passing leaves. Kei looked up from her crouched position in the back of the truck and called out to the Colonel.  
  
Kei: "I'm afraid to ask this but are we there yet? He's breathing all right and I've managed to stop the bleeding but it doesn't look like he's waking up."  
  
Colonel: "Just another mile down this path and we'll be there, then we can put him into a bed and see what else may be wrong with him."  
  
Valerie: "I hope he'll be okay when he wakes up."  
  
Akira: "What exactly do you mean?"  
  
Valerie: "Even while he's asleep I can feel his emotions and right now there is so much guilt and sadness inside of him that I'm afraid that might be what does him in."  
  
Akira leaned over a little to get a better view of what was up ahead. He gasped in amazement. It was an old temple complex with gardens and ponds and shrines of all kinds. The paths were all done up in cobblestone, a rock wall surrounded the entire perimeter of this enormous place in the woods and there was even a small dojo near the center. The sun was directly overhead, filling the entire area with a glorious light. They parked their vehicles and stood for a moment, just taking everything in.  
  
Akira: " ~~~ Beautiful."  
  
Valerie: "Yeah Spark ~~~ it's just like a dream." 


	7. Chapter 7 Conversations and Deep Though...

Chapter 7- Conversations and Deep Thoughts  
  
Kaneda: "How were you able to afford such a wicked place?"  
  
Colonel: "What, did you think they paid me in peanuts? Now lets get him inside. Be very gentle with him."  
  
Kaneda and the Colonel very carefully lifted the unconscious Tetsuo out of the truck and as the two carried him towards one of the smaller buildings next to a lovely pond Akira just stood there. He had lived as energy for so long he had forgotten just how beautiful the physical world could be. It filled him with peace and happiness the likes of which he had never felt before.  
  
Valerie: "Hey Spark, are you all right? You're even quieter than usual."  
  
Akira: "Hmm? Oh, I'm just fine. How long have I been standing here? I can't tell."  
  
Valerie: "You've been here for about ten minutes I should think. I bet you're not used to all of this nature stuff."  
  
Akira: "Do you know if Tetsuo is going to be okay or not?"  
  
Valerie motioned to Akira to follow her to the pond next to the small building that Tetsuo and the others were currently in. She sat down on a bench and Akira did likewise. And with a worried sigh she began to speak ~~~  
  
Valerie: "It turns out that the first aid I did on Tetsuo when we found him was the only thing that kept him from dying from his injuries. He's in a bad way right now. From what the Colonel has told me Tetsuo is in some sort of a coma. He doesn't think he'll die but there is nothing else that we can do for him until he's awake. We're all going to take turns checking up on him and making sure that he doesn't get any worse."  
  
Akira: "Do you mean we will have to just hope that he wakes up?"  
  
Valerie sighed and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and her head on her hands.  
  
Valerie: "We should just be glad that Mr. Shikishima actually has some medical knowledge."  
  
Akira: "I guess so. Hey Valerie can I ask you something?"  
  
Valerie (sitting up straight): "Sure you can, you know that."  
  
Akira: "Why do you act as though I am an equal? I mean you don't look at me like everyone else does. And why do you not seem too upset about receiving the power?"  
  
Valerie: "Well I'm not very sure why I act the way I do towards you, but I guess it has to do with the fact that you're just as human as the rest of us. Just because you have all that power doesn't mean that I should act the same as everyone else does towards you. I don't have to be scared of you like some people. It's their loss for not getting to know the human behind the power. As for my powers I feel as though I was meant to get them. When I was in the Olympic Stadium before I found you I had a funny feeling that something was going to happen. Maybe those feelings were trying to tell me about these new abilities that I was going to get. I guess I'm just trying to take everything in stride and not let anything get me down."  
  
Akira: "So you're overly optimistic and trusting by nature?"  
  
Valerie: "You know, you're pretty wise for such a little guy. And when Tetsuo recovers we can all stay here and finally live in peace. We could even learn more about our powers and develop them; I mean the power doesn't have to be a dangerous thing does it? All of us could have a good life here."  
  
Akira looked at Valerie with some concern on his face.  
  
Akira: "What about your home and business in Neo-Tokyo? Won't you miss them?"  
  
Valerie: "You know, I've thought about that. And I've decided that I shouldn't try to hold on to the past anymore."  
  
Akira: "What do you mean by that? I do not understand."  
  
Valerie: "I only stayed in the city because of my happy memories of Drake, I didn't want to let go of the past. But now I'm thinking about what has taken place since I've left the city now. I've gained new friends, new abilities and now I am seeing a part of the world that I have never seen before. I'll keep my happy memories with me for as long as I live, all the while continuing to discover a whole new side of the world that I didn't feel like finding before. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and now I am happier than I've ever been before. And I hope that when Tetsuo wakes up that he will find happiness as well."  
  
Akira stood up and walked over to the edge of the water in the pond, holding his arm out and letting a large and gorgeous dragonfly settle down on it.  
  
Akira: "I have a feeling that the only way he'll ever be happy again is if those he destroyed returned somehow."  
  
Valerie walked over and joined him at the water's edge just as the dragonfly flew off Akira's arm and went into the surrounding bull rushes.  
  
Valerie: "Yeah, you've got a point there. It's too bad that can't happen though."  
  
Akira (Whispering): "Of course it can happen. I can make it happen. I can bring them all back."  
  
Valerie whipped her head around and looked down at Akira so fast that her long blue ponytail slapped her in the face, her face was that of shock.  
  
Valerie: "What did you say? Are you serious?"  
  
Akira looked up at her with the slightest hint of a smile upon his face.  
  
Akira: "Of course I am being serious. I'll sacrifice my strongest abilities in exchange for gathering up the individual energies and then give them flesh and blood bodies. But by the time I am able to resurrect everyone I will have permanently lost so much of my power that I will only be as strong as what will eventually be your maximum. No offense intended. However it will be a small price to pay for setting everything right. None of those people should have died, and from now on I want to create peace and happiness instead of death and destruction, whether the latter was caused by my own will or not. I will begin as soon as the sun sets so that I have time to prepare myself. The ones called Yama and Kaori will appear here first, when they will show up is something that I cannot answer right know. I be right here by this pond until the task is completed, you go over to the others and stay with them. And tell them not to come near me while I am doing this, I cannot be disturbed until it's over."  
  
Valerie nodded and took off on a light run towards the building where the others were. And while Akira and Valerie had been talking, Kai held the sides of his head ever so slightly, a rush of images bombarding his mind, but he did not cry out. Instead he smiled at what he saw. He saw the face of a young girl in shorts and a white tank top with messy dark brown hair and the face of a dark haired boy in his late teens in a blue top with a volcano on the front.  
  
Kai (Crying with joy): "They're coming back to us you guys ~~~ 


	8. Chapter 8 Snow White Flames

Neotokyo9: "This chapter is dedicated to the ff.net reviewer known as Emu for the ideas about Yama and the scientists. Thank you very much!"  
  
Chapter 8- Snow White Flames  
  
Kaneda: "Just what are you going on about Kai, who's coming back?"  
  
" ~~~ K~Kaori, a~and Yama ~~~"  
  
That was the weak little whisper that came from the weakened body in the bed, Tetsuo was starting to wake up but he was still quite feeble. The others looked down at the barely conscious teen that seemed so desperate to talk to them. But it did not last long; in a few short seconds he was asleep once more.  
  
Colonel: "He's getting delusional. How can dead people come back to life?"  
  
Kei: "Hold on now, Kai heard the same thing as Tetsuo didn't you?"  
  
Kai: "Yeah I did. I even saw Yama and Kaori inside my brain and ~~~"  
  
There was a loud knock on the door and Valerie burst in looking like she had a very important message for everyone.  
  
Valerie: "Listen up people Spark's powers and his plan are what's triggering the visions in Kai and Tetsuo ~~~"  
  
Kaneda: "What are you talking about ~~~"  
  
Valerie: "Kaneda I don't want to be as rude as you were just now but just shut the hell up for a minute! Spark is planning to use his powers to resurrect all of the people that were destroyed in Neo-Tokyo a year ago, and to do that he needs us to leave him alone for a while. He has to concentrate his powers and focus all of the lost life energies into physical bodies. He said that he would revive Yama and Kaori first and that they would end up right here when it happened. It will make him lose a great amount of his powers and abilities permanently but it will be worth it."  
  
Kai: "How did you know that me and Tetsuo saw Yama and Kaori?"  
  
Valerie fiddled with the handle of her large knife and allowed a big smile to cross her face.  
  
Valerie: "Duh, I'm psychic after all. And now that I'm done with being a smartass I should also tell you guys that we have to leave him alone while he implements his plan. He told me that it would require a lot of concentration and that he can't be interrupted for any reason. If this works than all of the mistakes of the past will be righted at last."  
  
Colonel: "That may be but what about the memories? Tetsuo will still remember all of the terrible things that he did and so will we."  
  
Valerie's eyes suddenly became cloudy and she remained perfectly still for about a minute before returning to normal once again.  
  
Valerie: "Spark is going to start his plan in twenty minutes. He just told me to tell you guys that he already took the memories of the people into account. While he is reviving everyone he will erase the memories of what happened to them, all except for four people whose memories he deems necessary."  
  
Kei: "And whose memories are those?"  
  
Valerie: "Yama and Kaori of course, plus the scientist that was head of the Akira Project during the so called Tetsuo Incident. Spark tells me that some of the other scientists used to call him Frost behind his back because of how often he froze specimens. And finally, as a way of thanking me personally for what I've done for him he is going to bring Drake here along with Yama and Kaori. But I've just told him that he should take care of everybody else before bringing Drake back to me. I want Tetsuo to see Kaori alive again. I have a feeling she'll forgive him for everything. Yama I am not so sure about."  
  
Kaneda: "Hey c'mon, don't worry about Yama! As soon as he finds out that everyone is alive again he'll probably just kick Tetsuo in the jewels and tell him not to pull any crap ever again or he'll gut him or somethin'."  
  
The Colonel and Kei stood there wide-eyed at the biker's calm and joking statement.  
  
Colonel: "How can you be so accurate about how he'll react to Tetsuo?!"  
  
Kaneda just laughed and told him that Yama had said the exact same thing the time that one time that Tetsuo took Yama's old bike out for a spin and crashed it into a dumpster at the school. Then Kei, Valerie and the Colonel decided to leave the room and head outside and go to the pond just to watch Akira as he prepared for his plan. Then Kaneda, Kai and Tetsuo were the only ones left inside the little cabin-like building. Now even if everyone was to leave Tetsuo all by himself then he would still be okay. As Valerie had been talking to everyone the Colonel had also been taking one last look at Tetsuo and the diagnosis was that he was somehow getting better by the minute and that all he needed now was lots and lots of sleep. Now that it was just the three people in the cabin, Kaneda then knelt down next to Tetsuo's bed and put his hand on his shoulder and then told his old friend that soon everything would be all right. Kai knelt down next to his leader and then he grinned and sighed.  
  
Kai: "I can still hear him faintly you know. He's saying that he doesn't really deserve anyone's forgiveness but he is very grateful for it and that he is also willing to let go of the past just like Valerie is as long as his "wildcat" is willing to forgive him."  
  
Kaneda: "Wildcat?"  
  
Kai: "He's talking about Kaori. He says that that's what he's always called her but not to her face because he was always too embarrassed to say. He called her a wildcat because like a wildcat fears such a simple thing as going into water, Kaori was usually afraid of little things as well. But also like a wildcat, which is brave in facing much bigger animals than itself Kaori was always tough enough to stand by him no matter what. She always cared about him and he always cared about her. Isn't that nice to think about Shotaro?"  
  
Kaneda (Smiling): "Yeah. You're right Kaisuke. Come on. Let's go outside and let him sleep. When he wakes up it may be awhile before he gets another chance to nap."  
  
Far from the peaceful forest were a new chapter in a long story was about to take place there was much unrest in the newly rebuilt Experimental Hospital. The scientists that had led the troops that very morning were presenting their case to the government officials. The lead scientists' name was Kelvin, and he was what one would call a nasty little weasel.  
  
Kelvin: "And when we moved in to apprehend the 41st test subject after he "emerged" we encountered resistance."  
  
Senator #1: "What kind of resistance?"  
  
Kelvin: "Well you see sir, the ground in the alley he was in had a large hatchway, and out of that hatchway came four bikers and a little boy. But that wasn't what made us retreat. One biker, a blue haired woman and the little boy began to emit auras."  
  
Senator #2: "Auras? But that would mean that they controlled the power wouldn't it?"  
  
Kelvin: "And to top it off, as we were leaving our sensors began to detect a third although very weak aura in comparison to the other three being emitted by one of the other bikers, a small teenage boy. And when we came back to the laboratory we analyzed the auras. The aura of the woman and the biker boy are not on record, but the aura of the little boy is."  
  
Senator #1: "Could it be numbers 26 and 27?"  
  
Kelvin: "No sir. It was #28. The great destroyer Akira."  
  
All of the senators in the room had they same reaction. They all responded with shouts of "He's supposed to be dead!!" or "I thought that that was all just a big myth started over thirty years ago!!  
  
Kelvin: "The physical aura that the little boy emitted had the appearance of snow white flames and showed up on our analyzer as a transparent black and green dome. Only Akira's aura ever had those properties. And now everyone in that was in that alley has disappeared and we have no way of detecting were they could have gone."  
  
Senator #2: "What about the two new auras? What is the analysis on them?"  
  
Kelvin: "The physical appearance of the woman's aura had the look of a thick green mist and showed up on our analyzer as a flat disk of rippling green water. We did not have an opportunity to see the physical aura of the small biker but its appearance on the analyzer was similar to that of #25's. It had the appearance of a cloud. Very weak in comparison to the other auras and we have determined that it's not likely to grow very strong. The woman's aura is growing more powerful however. If it does not stop soon it may get as strong as #41's powers once were."  
  
Senator #3: "So Tetsuo Shima's powers have diminished."  
  
Kelvin: "The camera feed set up at the Olympic Stadium during the so- called Second Akira Event showed that #41's powers had amassed themselves as a monstrous physical mutation right before he was absorbed by Akira's "miniature universe. That coupled with the strain of returning to our plain of existence has not only transformed his once again human body, but has cut his powers in half and has left him as weak as a kitten. If we could only figure out were they have gone we could retrieve him and Akira, along with the other two who are emitting auras. I recommend a massive search of the entire city."  
  
Senator #1: "Very well then. If we can find them and somehow control them then we will have power unimaginable. How is the prototype coming along?"  
  
Kelvin lifted a big metal briefcase up onto the conference table and opened it up revealing a golf ball sized device shaped like a five pointed star. Kelvin smiled.  
  
Kelvin: "This is the final design, my very own Psychokinetic Medulla Control Module, or PMCM for short. This device has been in the works since before Akira's first time in any laboratory. Thanks to the data analysis from the blue haired woman's aura we have been able to complete the device. It is launched from a specially designed gun at a subject's head. Once this attaches itself to a person who controls the power, we can control the subject's entire brain. All powers, physical functions and even emotions will be controlled by one of us from a safe distance by remote. And because it can automatically emit a frequency that is opposite to that of the subject's then the subject will be unable to stop it from attaching to their brain using their powers. This gentlemen is the key to the greatest weapons we could ever hope for."  
  
Senator #1: "When you are finally able to locate them then you may use the PMCM on any one of them. Then use your "weapon" to kill the others and retrieve the bodies for immediate testing. We will only need one "weapon". Proceed at your own discretion Dr. Kelvin, but do not fail us. Dismissed." 


	9. Chapter 9 The Precious Gift

Chapter 9- The Precious Gift  
  
When Kaneda and Kai left the little building their eyes encountered a fantastic sight. Levitating ten feet above the pond were Akira and Valerie had been talking before was Akira himself. He was in a standing position with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were glowing with a white light and he was surrounded by his physical aura, the white flames waving intensely. Valerie, Kei and the Colonel were standing at the water's edge closest to the little building were Tetsuo was sleeping. The Colonel spotted Kai and Kaneda and waved them over without speaking a word. The two friends ran over to the rest of the group and they watched Akira, who was in a deep state of concentration.  
  
Kaneda: "That looks amazing, maybe this will work after all."  
  
Kei: "Right before flying up there he said that he would manipulate the minds of the survivors of the Second Akira Event into thinking that nobody had actually died. That way there won't be a panic when everyone revives."  
  
Kai: "I hadn't even thought of that! Hey you guys, he doesn't look so good. He's breathing kind of heavy and wincing a lot."  
  
Colonel: "Of course he's in some pain, don't you think that accomplishing something like this would require just a little bit of discomfort?"  
  
Kai: "Geez, sorry!"  
  
Valerie: "Guys, look over there! It's Tetsuo!"  
  
Everyone except for Akira turned to see a bandaged and still somewhat fatigued Tetsuo walk slowly towards them. It took him a few minutes to get to them but when he did he bowed slightly before Kaneda and spoke to Valerie.  
  
Tetsuo: "Domo arigato gozimasu. You helped to save me. It'll be different this time around, you just watch."  
  
Kaneda: "Shouldn't you be in bed buddy? I mean you look like crap. You look like an old man with that white hair."  
  
Tetsuo grinned at his old friend and pulled down his eyelid with one finger, stuck out his tongue and gave Kaneda the raspberry.  
  
Tetsuo: "I don't give a rat's a** about my hair you friggin' pink shirt wearing baka!"  
  
Kai: "Uh, hi there."  
  
Tetsuo: "Please don't be scared of my Kai, I really didn't mean to ~~~"  
  
Kai: "Don't worry about me, I'm just fine. And I know that it wasn't you're fault so please don't apologize. But if you ever try anything then I'm going to punch you so hard in the head you'll have to take off your jeans to eat, you got that?"  
  
Tetsuo (Chuckling): "I hear you loud and clear."  
  
Valerie: "Damn, feel the power coming from that aura, it's absolutely incredible! I just hope that Spark can pull this off without hurting himself."  
  
Tetsuo: "Spark?"  
  
Kai: "That's a long story. Basically Valerie found in the Stadium and since she didn't know who he was at the time, she gave him a nickname. Now herself and Kai have that so called power that you and Akira have. That about sums it up."  
  
Tetsuo shook his head from side to side as though he had just heard the most confusing thing in the world.  
  
Tetsuo: "And he's willing to give up nearly all of his powers just to undo everything that happened a year ago?"  
  
Kaneda: "Well even he can't turn back time but at least he's doing the next best thing. Now we'd better shut up or else he may get distracted."  
  
Everyone stood and watched as the boy struggled to ignore the pain he was feeling as his mighty energy slowly made it's way back to Neo-Tokyo. And if they were back in the city at that precise moment they would have seen thousands of pillars of white fire shaped energy form into human bodies. These bodies then one by one stirred to life and began to go about their business as though they had never been dead! And just a few short minutes later back at the temple, everyone turned away from Akira with shocked expressions as three bodies slowly began to form before them. One body in particular began to cry out, reaching a hand out to one of them in particular.  
  
Tetsuo: "Oh my Kami-sama ~~~ Kaori!! I'm coming!"  
  
All of them had to grab onto the teen just to slow him down as he tried desperately to make his way to his loved one, whose features were becoming clearer by the second.  
  
Kei: "Not yet, not until Akira's done! You must wait!"  
  
Tetsuo: "No, let me go to her, let me go, let me ~~~"  
  
The features of the other two forms were becoming clear as well, One with a denim shirt with a volcano on the front and a much older man in a long white coat. The group's attention switched back to Akira when they heard him cry out in pain. His face was screwed up in pure agony and they could actually hear his heartbeat which was quickly getting faster and faster. Valerie looked like she was going to go into a panic and all of the others were concerned as well but they knew that they could not do a thing about it.  
  
Akira: "J ~~~ just one ~~~ last ~~~ form to make. Nearly there ~~~ It's ~~~ not going to work!! EEEAAAUUUGGGHH, AAAAHHHH!!"  
  
They all watched in horror as one last form began to appear before Akira. It was flickering wildly and was twisting in agony similar to Akira's. Valerie instantly knew whom it was that Akira was trying to resurrect before him using the last of his concentrated strength.  
  
Valerie: "Drake!"  
  
But Akira was in far too much pain to complete Drake's resurrection; it was not going to work.  
  
Akira (Thinking): "I cannot let his life force be extinguished, there is only one choice left to me. I am so sorry that it has to be this way Valerie."  
  
With a great shriek of pain that echoed throughout the entire temple complex the light of Akira's aura filled the area causing everyone to hold their hands up to their eyes. And what they could see was one of the most spectacular things that any of them had ever seen in their lives. Drake's life force began to move closer and closer to Akira's screaming body.  
  
Colonel: "HOLY S**T HE'S ABSORBING DRAKE, WHAT'S HE DOING?!"  
  
Valerie: "SPAAAARRRRKKKK!!"  
  
Valerie's anguished cry was soon drowned out by one last howl of pain from Akira as Drake's energy fused with his body. Then the screams instantly stopped and the intense light disappeared and everyone looked up at were Akira had been. Only Akira was no longer there. Instead of the powerful entity encased in the body of a little boy there now levitated the form of a very handsome young man who looked like he was in his late twenties, with shiny black hair that reached down past his shoulders. He had a muscular build and a fair complexion. But surrounding him were the remnants of a fiery aura the color of snow.  
  
Kaneda: "Is that Akira?! What the hell happened to him?"  
  
Kei: "He must have absorbed Drake in order to save his life energy because he had become too weak to give him a separate body. He has now taken on several of Drakes physical attributes. My god, it's incredible. What's happening now?"  
  
They all watched in silence as the new Akira looked down at them all with soft blue eyes and a light gasp escaping his mouth. The remainder of his aura disappeared and he fell like a stone into the middle of the pond. Several bubbles escaped to the surface but soon nothing was happening.  
  
Valerie: "Oh my god he's going to drown, somebody get him out right now!"  
  
Tetsuo: "Kai what the hell are you doing?!"  
  
They all turned to see Kai now standing at the edge of the pond with his arm outstretched and his body enveloped in a cloudy blue aura. The water in the middle of the pond began to ripple and splash fiercely and a body began to rise out of the water. Kai's face was scrunched up in deep concentration as he used the power of telekinesis to bring the transformed Akira out of the water and to expel the water from his lungs at the same time. And as soon as he had Akira lying safely on the grassy bank he fell to his knees gasping.  
  
Kai: "I can't believe ~~~ that I could do that. Oh man."  
  
Valerie rushed to the side of the new Akira who was now unconscious after such an obviously excruciating experience. And the others let her take care of Akira while they ran over to Yama, Kaori and Frost. Their most precious gift had now been bestowed upon them. But what was going to happen when Akira awoke to find himself a whole new person? 


	10. Chapter 10 Reunited at Last

Chapter 10- Reunited at Last  
  
Inside her subconscious she could only see the memory of when she had first met that cute boy from the same orphanage that she was from. She had just had her entire lunch stolen from her by a group of five really big boys. She remembered that she had been crying really hard and then she had heard that small yet defiant voice ordering the bullies to return her food to her. She had looked up a few moments later to see her schoolyard savior, bruised and cut up, holding her lunch bag out to her. She took it from him and thanked him gratefully, introducing herself in the process ~~~  
  
"Hi, my name's Kaori. What's yours?"  
  
"I'm Tetsuo Shima. Sorry but they kind of squished your lunch."  
  
Kaori: "You got hurt to help me. Why?"  
  
Tetsuo: "I don't like it when little kids get hurt. And I ought to know, I'm little too."  
  
Kaori (giggling): "You're not that little. Do you want to share lunches with me?"  
  
Tetsuo (blushing): "Sure! And hey, don't you worry about a thing 'cause I take millions of beatings for you. I'll be your guard!"  
  
Kaori: "Oh wow, thanks Tetsuo!"  
  
That sweet childhood memory had always been within Kaori's mind and since that time Kaori had known that she loved this boy no matter what he did or what any dangerous new powers had driven him to do. No matter what, she would forgive her true love the next time she saw him. And with that firmly in her mind she began to stir. Taking in a deep breath she slowly opened her eyes. Everything was a little bit hazy, but within just a few moments she was staring into a pair of the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen. They were like a pair of gorgeous emeralds. Her gaze now began to focus on the owner of the eyes. He had snow white hair that was slicked back yet kind of messy. His skin was slate gray and he had a very deep and very fresh scar across his chest. And yet despite these unusual features she knew exactly who this young man was. There was now way anyone or anything could hide his identity from her.  
  
Tetsuo: "K ~~~ Kaori, are you okay? Please say something, anything!"  
  
Kaori: "It was not your fault. I ~~~ still love you more than anything."  
  
Tetsuo had never cried so much in his whole life. He had never felt so happy either. He felt as though he did not deserve it after all he had done, and yet if Kaori was willing to forgive him then he could finally be at peace for the first time in his life.  
  
Kai: "How is she Tetsuo?"  
  
Tetsuo (Wiping his eyes): "She's doing great, just great!"  
  
Kaori: "Hello Kaisuke. It's nice to see you."  
  
Kai: "It's great to see you too. I'm glad that you're alright."  
  
Tetsuo: "How are Yama and Frost doing?"  
  
Kai: "Frost is already up and about talking to the Colonel and the others and Yama wants to say hi and punch you in the gut when he sees you."  
  
Tetsuo: "Aw damn it. Well I guess letting him hit me is the least that I can do for him. What about Akira and Valerie, how are they doing?"  
  
Kaori: "Akira? What could be wrong with him?"  
  
Tetsuo: "If you're feeling up to it then come with us and you can see just what's happened to him. It's really incredible."  
  
And the three friends walked from the pond area towards the main building in the temple complex belonging to the Colonel. It was an enormous dojo in the center of the complex, rectangular in shape and at each of it's four corners stood tall cherry trees with their blossoms in full bloom. The trio walked up the stairs to the main entrance of the dojo, to its great doors lavishly decorated with golden dragons and phoenixes. Tetsuo walked right up to the doors and opened them up for his friends using telekinesis. When they came in they saw the others sitting on the polished floor of the dojo upon soft cushions. Yama was seated right next to the door and when Tetsuo made his entrance, Tetsuo sensed what Yama was thinking.  
  
Yama (thinking): "Never do anything like that again or I'll get you myself okay?"  
  
Tetsuo nodded and sat down next to Yama, motioning to Kaori that there was an empty cushion next to him. After everyone was seated Kaori could see Akira quite clearly, only he did not look like Akira at all. He had the appearance of an adult and the face of someone who had just been handed a death sentence. His now blue eyes were slightly red as though as he had been crying. He was now wearing a new set of clothes that fit his new body, a pair of old gray slacks with the cuffs rolled up just a little, brown leather sandals and a short-sleeved black t-shirt that seemed about two sizes too big for his now well-muscled frame. Valerie was sitting next to him of course, having a comforting hand on his broad shoulder. She had a new outfit as well. She wore a sleeveless white t-shirt with a light blue denim vest and a pair of faded jeans shorts with a thin black leather belt from which hung her oversized hunting knife. She also had red socks, black sneakers and fingerless leather gloves. Her hair was out of its usual ponytail, thereby allowing her long blue locks to spill over her shoulders. And to the surprise of Tetsuo and Kaori she had gone through one obvious physical change. Her eyes had turned into a sparkling red raspberry color, definitely due to the effects of her own powers. The atmosphere in the dojo was so thick you could cut it with a knife, and it made Tetsuo very nervous indeed. With everyone now seated comfortably the Colonel began to speak ~~~  
  
Colonel: "We have a big problem everyone, the mind erasure was incomplete. There are some people left in Neo-Tokyo that still remember all that happened. When Akira fused with Drake's life force it caused him to leave some minds intact. These people that still remember are scientists from the original research team and from the one that Frost led. And when I last led them right before Tetsuo got his powers we were researching a way to control the minds of those who had psychic powers."  
  
Kei: "I still had some informants left in the city before we came here and the last thing that I heard was that these scientists had invented some sort of device that can control the minds of those who control the power."  
  
Tetsuo: "Why though? Why build something like that?"  
  
Yama: "A weapon. They are planning to control a psychic person in order to create a powerful weapon."  
  
Colonel: "And if they manage to get a hold of either Tetsuo, Valerie, Kai or Akira then the results would be ten times worse than what we all experienced a year ago."  
  
Kaneda: "Then why not just hide here forever? Then those bums can't use any of you guys as a weapon?"  
  
Akira: "You should not speak such nonsense Kaneda. There's no possible way that our powers can go undetected for that long. And there's no way that I can erase the minds of the scientists now, The mass resurrection, mind erasure and fusion has drained almost all of my energy and even if I had the power to do it I have now lost the ability due to the fusion."  
  
Valerie: "Then why did you fuse with Drake's life force in the first place?"  
  
Akira turned and looked her in the eyes for the longest time before finally answering.  
  
Akira: "This strange warm feeling inside of me that I have never felt before told me that you would be sad if his life force was lost forever so I did the first thing that came to mind. I did not want you to be sad."  
  
A tense silence passed through the dojo for about a minute and then Kaori stated what everyone except Akira was thinking ~~~  
  
Kaori: "Akira, are you in love with Valerie?"  
  
Akira turned and looked in Kaori's direction with a puzzled look on his new face.  
  
Akira: "Love? What is that?"  
  
Kaneda: "Well it's basically when you meet someone and you start to get that warm feeling that you were just talking about. After that, if it's real love then you're willing to do anything for that person and soon you start to think that there is nobody else in the world that you'd rather be with. You're willing to die for them."  
  
Akira: "You mean just like that warm feeling that Tetsuo and Kaori always get when they are close to each other?"  
  
Tetsuo and Kaori upon hearing this innocent statement begin to blush profusely.  
  
Akira: "If that is love then I guess I do love you Valerie, very much so."  
  
Valerie opens her mouth to respond, only to be suddenly shaken to the floor by the blast of a tank's cannon and seconds later to hear a commanding voice over a megaphone ~~~  
  
"Come out with your hands in the air you freaks or we'll level the whole complex! Then hand over the psychics or else everything in the vicinity will die!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Neo: "In the next chapter, the real battle begins when one of the people who control the power becomes an instrument of destruction and utter chaos." 


	11. Chapter 11 Bending the Will

Chapter 11- Bending The Will  
  
Tetsuo: "What the f**k is going on here?! I thought everyone's minds got erased?!"  
  
Akira: "I ~~ I couldn't erase everyone's mind before I got fused. The ones left must be the ones who gave me my strength. And a new scientist as well. Kami I'm so sorry Valerie ~~~"  
  
Valerie: "You did your best Spark, nobody really expected less."  
  
Colonel (Shouting through a window): "Alright, what do you want?"  
  
"We want Akira and the others out here right now or this whole place is going to be leveled ~~~Sir!"  
  
Colonel: "You smart a**, you're not touching them!"  
  
"Ha ha ha ha ha, why protect such dangerous animals Mr. Shikishima? I'll admit the blue haired girl is a friggin' babe but one of the others is little more than a disgusting, murderous mutant amoeba! Number 41 isn't even human anymore!"  
  
Tetsuo seemed to wince at every single word, and this was definitely noticed by Kaneda.  
  
Kaneda: "You watch your god damned mouths!"  
  
"Last chance freaks! Either come out or we'll destroy everything! And no tricks!"  
  
Colonel (whispering): "So what do we do? They've got the place surrounded."  
  
Akira's fists were so tight with anger the knuckles had turned white. How dare those scientists and soldiers invade this place of peace and insult his friends like that! He was not about to let them turn anyone, especially Valerie into mere science experiments.  
  
Akira: "If I come out will you all go away?"  
  
"Five minutes, during which we will consider your offer. Don't try anything or else you are all dead!"  
  
Everyone else inside the dojo gasped at Akira's statement and Valerie grabbed Akira by the arm.  
  
Valerie: "No! There's no way I'll let you go out there alone and be turned into a weapon again, not after all we've been through."  
  
Akira (Smirking): "Who says I'm going out there?"  
  
Yama: "Say what?! What are you talking about? You just said ~~~"  
  
Kai: "You're going to use your powers to make a doppelganger to distract them, allowing everyone to escape. That's really clever."  
  
Yama: "How the heck did you get so smart?"  
  
Tetsuo: "Lets just say that Kaisuke became a part of the family a short time ago."  
  
Yama: "Geez, tough luck Kai."  
  
Tetsuo seemed a touch annoyed about the comment.  
  
Tetsuo: "It's not a friggin' disease Yama!"  
  
Yama: "Oh yeah! Look at what it did to you ya bloody freak!"  
  
Kaori: "Stop it you two, this is not a good time to be fighting!"  
  
Tetsuo was slightly taken aback for he had never really seen Kaori look angry before. Then the voice came back on.  
  
"How about that, it looks like we won't have to let you guys leave your dojo alive after all ~~~ GET HER NOW!!"  
  
And before anyone inside the building could respond, a section of the roof caved in and a dozen soldiers came in along with a scientist holding an unusual looking gun. And he fired it straight at Valerie, who was unable to dodge the blast. But it was no bullet or laser that penetrated her forehead, but a shiny metallic device shaped like a five-pointed star. It sent dozens of tinsel-like tendrils of metal from it's underside and straight through her forehead and into her brain. The horrid device then began to produce a flashing light from its core. It was taking over her mind.  
  
Akira: "No, Valerie!"  
  
Valerie: "AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHH!! GET THIS F***ING THING OFF OF ME!! GGGAAAHHH, HEEEELP ME PLEASE!! IT'S IN MY BRAIN, GET IT OFF, GET IT OOOOFFFF!!"  
  
Tetsuo: "I'll get it!"  
  
Tetsuo reached over and touched the device to try and rip it from her forehead, which was starting to bleed due to the penetration, but the device sent out some sort of electrical discharge that knocked Tetsuo away from her. The Colonel caught Tetsuo before he slammed into the floor.  
  
Tetsuo: "DAMN IT, WHAT IS THAT THING?!"  
  
Kei: "T-that's the weapon that I've heard about! It's taking over her mind!"  
  
Akira: "I got to get it off of her!"  
  
Kelvin: "I don't think that would be in your best interests right now, young man. You see, if any one of you tries to take the PMCM off of her then I'll activate the self destruct mechanism and kill everyone here, including her."  
  
Akira (hissing softly): ".you bastard, how dare you toy with human lives like this? What gives you the right?!"  
  
Kelvin (laughing): "Let's face it.Akira.if you lab rodents were truly human then how do you account for your powers? No normal human can do what you can do, you people are nothing but experiments, and now take a look at your precious girl.she's become the ultimate weapon!"  
  
Akira: "Nani?! Valerie, what's happened to you?!"  
  
Valerie's eyes had now completely turned solid ruby colored and had lost their old shine. Her hair seemed to be standing on end as if being lifted up by some unseen wind. She was now levitating a foot off the floor and her aura had changed completely. It was now a dark mass of blackish purple mist.she looked like some sort of nightmarish phantom.  
  
Tetsuo: "Kami help us." 


	12. Chapter 12 The Deadly Phantom

Chapter 12- The Deadly Phantom  
  
Kelvin: "HA HA HA HA HA! NOW DO YOU SEE?! DO YOU NOW SEE THE POWER OF MY DEVICE?! SHE IS NOW MY WEAPON, AND I CAN DO ANYTHING WITH HER UNDER MY CONTROL! THE PMCM BOOSTS THE PSYCHIC POWER OF THE BRAIN, SHE IS NOW MORE POWERFUL THAN AKIRA EVER WAS!"  
  
Akira: "KELVIN YOU A**HOLE!! YOU GET THAT BLOODY THING OFF OF HER GOD DAMN IT, YOU LET HER GO!!"  
  
Kelvin: "You are really starting to piss me off ~~~ No. 42, do something to shut him up."  
  
The transformed Valerie now loomed over Akira like a predator sizing up its prey. Her face held no emotion, her eyes ~~~ her once sparkling eyes now looked empty, devoid of the wonderful personality that had earned her so much respect in the city, and of the same persona that had tamed the raw power within Akira. The energy now being emitted from her body was so thick with what some people would call evil it made even the battle hardened Colonel shiver with fear. Akira watched, frozen with fear as Valerie silently raised her hand and began to collect some dark colored energy ~~~  
  
Valerie: "~~~ you will be quiet now ~~~"  
  
Akira: "NO, DON'T ~~~NANI?!"  
  
Valerie: "~~~ hmm? ~~~"  
  
The arm that had threatened to end the life of the one who loved her was now ensnared in a long mass of hideously pulsing, expanding and contracting flesh, combined with random metal pieces and bits of cable. Everyone's gazed now traveled down the grotesque stream all the way to Tetsuo, who was putting every effort into the restraint he had placed upon his brainwashed friend.  
  
Yama: "Holy s**t, what the hell's happenin' to him?!"  
  
Kei: "He can transform his body in order to increase his power."  
  
Valerie: "~~~ "  
  
Tetsuo: "Feh, I never thought that I'd be glad to be able to do this again! Akira, get away from her, she's no longer the same woman you know. That bastard can order her to kill any one of us in a second."  
  
Akira took one more look at the trapped Valerie before scrambling over to Kaneda and the others. The soldiers looked at the scene with looks of horror on their faces, none of them had ever really believed the stories they were told about Tetsuo's mutation abilities. Perspiration ran down the side of Tetsuo's face as he used every ounce of his strength to hold onto Valerie and prevent her from moving.  
  
Kelvin: "He he he ~~~ "  
  
Tetsuo: "What the hell are you laughing about ya scumbag?"  
  
Kelvin: "Do you really expect that pathetic display of metamorphosis will hold her back? I told you, she's the most powerful weapon ever!"  
  
Valerie's body suddenly started expelling huge amounts of purplish colored electricity, which ran down Tetsuo's arm and began to electrocute him. The white haired teen cried out in agony, tears ran down the sides of his grayish face, his mutated arm now contorting like a fish caught on a hook. But no matter how much power Valerie put into her terrible attack, it was clear that Tetsuo was not going to let go that easily.  
  
Kaneda: "That's it, keep it up buddy!"  
  
Tetsuo: "Aaarrgghhh ~~~ he's right ~~~ y'know. You'll ~~~ have to try harder ~~~ than that."  
  
Valerie: "~~~ So be it ~~~"  
  
And in a split second Valerie, while continuing her electrical attack, fired what appeared to be a pair of black lasers from her eyes, striking Tetsuo in his large chest scar. This caused Tetsuo, wound to reopen, allowing blood to spill forth and onto the floor. But because the original energy attack was still being performed, Tetsuo's innards were now slowly getting fried; the stench was putting all but the brainwashed ex-mechanic onto the verge of throwing up. The screams coming from Tetsuo were like those of an injured animal.  
  
Akira: "STOOOOOP IT!! SOMEBODY STOP HER AND SAVE HER PLEASE!!"  
  
Kelvin: "SAY GOODBYE TO THE HUMAN AMEOBA YOU GOD DAMNED FREAKS!!"  
  
Then, as quickly as the hideous attack had begun, Valerie ceased her attack. She just suddenly stopped. All was silent in the dojo, except for the yelps of agony from Tetsuo, who even now had refused to let go of Valerie. All eyes were now on the woman ensnared in living tissue. Something was up. She had stopped levitating and her terrifying black aura had disappeared. Her hair was now back down around her shoulders and the old shine had returned to her eyes, as well as her jet-black pupils.  
  
Soldier: "Uh sir, what's going on?"  
  
Kelvin: "I ~~ I have no idea. What are you doing No. 42, you're supposed to be killing him! Use the power of the PMCM and kill them all!"  
  
Valerie's eyes seemed to glaze over for a few seconds and then return to normal. She then nodded to Tetsuo who in turn released her from his embrace. Valerie then turned to face the scientist. Kelvin held the remote detonator for the star shaped machine attached to Valerie's skull high above his head in a dominating pose, his face horribly twisted in anger.  
  
Kelvin: "I ORDER YOU TO KILL THEM ALL, DO YOU HEAR ME?! DO IT OR I'LL BLOW UP THE DEVICE AND DESTROY YOU!!"  
  
Valerie said nothing. She simply reached up and gingerly touched the device on her forehead, feeling for its edge. And when she found it, she began pulling on it, a sickening noise that sounded like cloth being ripped emanated as blood trickled down her face in her efforts to tear away the wretched machine. And yet she showed no outward signs that it was hurting her at all. Kelvin watched in horror, and for some reason he found himself paralyzed by some strange force. It was as though a giant hand were holding him tight.  
  
Valerie: "I will not kill my newfound family. You have no authority over who lives and who dies. And this, this is what I think of you're precious machine you son of a bitch!"  
  
And with one great tug, she ripped the machine right out of her own brain and sent it smashing into thousands of tiny pieces upon the bloodstained floor.  
  
Kaori: "She ~~ she's free? But how's that possible? And who's paralyzing Kelvin?"  
  
Valerie: "It is not me doing it, and it is certainly not any one of you. I know who it is, but I'm going to tell you all later after I get rid of all these trespassers."  
  
And with one mighty wave of her hand, all of the soldiers and scientists, including Kelvin, became still and silent as a powerful force from Valerie invaded their minds, wiping them clean of everything they had seen, along with the knowledge of their existence. And in a flash of light they all disappeared without a trace. Valerie sighed with satisfaction and faced her friends ~~~  
  
Valerie: "I wiped their minds and sent them back to the city. Once they get there, all those who know about the Power that did not get their minds wiped by Spark will have no knowledge of the events that took place. It will be as though we never existed to them. Thank you Tetsuo for trying to stop me. Thank you Spark for believing in me."  
  
Yama: "~~~ But who was holding back Kelvin?"  
  
Valerie: "It was those three who knew Spark as a regular child. They are still unable to be here physically, but they were able to hold Kelvin back."  
  
Then, as though something just suddenly dawned on her, Valerie reached up and touched her forehead, which was still bleeding rather profusely ~~~  
  
Valerie: "~~~ oh my."  
  
And with that she fainted and fell with a thud onto the dojo floor, and a second after she touched the floor, Tetsuo fell as well, murmuring something about how she had meant that a bear, rabbit and a car had held back the scientist long enough for her incredible powers to overwhelm the creation of man. And as the others rushed to Tetsuo and Valerie's side, young Kai just said two words ~~~ The Espers. 


	13. chapter 13 Polyphony Catalyst

Chapter 13- Polyphony Catalyst  
  
It had been just two days since the events in the dojo took place. While most of the group took this time to rebuild the temple complex, Akira and Kaori simply kept an unending vigil next to the cabin. They had hardly eaten or slept. They listened to the Colonel working on the two injured psychics, all the while filled with worry and anxiety. Would they come out of their comatose states? Would their wounds, both mental and physical heal? And what of Valerie's statement concerning the Espers? If they had the power to interfere in the events taking place in the physical world then would they soon be returning? It was all very unnerving, for everyone and not just them. It was then that they heard a snapping sound and saw a bright light before them. The light disapated and was replaced by Yamagata, who had developed the power of teleportation just hours after the events in the dojo. He sure as hell was no expert at it however, for now the bowls of soup he had been carrying had now ended up spilled all over his shoes. He scowled. He was annoyed that he still had not mastered such a simple power as teleportation.  
  
Yamagata: "Damn it! I try to get you guys some lunch, and this is the kind of crap that happens!"  
  
Akira: "Practice does make perfect."  
  
Kaori: "He's right Yama, sometimes it takes forever to learn a new skill."  
  
Yamagata: "Well it's takin' too damn long. Do you guys want me to get you two some fresh bowls?"  
  
Akira and Kaori said thanks but no thanks and that they weren't very hungry. Yamagata sighed.  
  
Yamagata: "Are you two still worried about Tetsuo and Valerie? Then you should hear this. I overheard Kei talking to Kaneda this morning after Kei helped Frost bring some more medical supplies to the cabin. They were saying something about how everything was healing strangely fast and that they should be awake at any moment. Must be these psycho powers that are making them heal so fast."  
  
Akira (chuckling): "You mean psychic powers Yama. Where's Kai, I haven't seen him much."  
  
Yamagata: "He's been hard at work making up an inventory of all our tools and equipment, medical supplies, food, you name it. He says that he's just trying to be prepared since now it looks like we'll all be living here from now on. The last time I saw him, he was setting up some herbs from the garden to brew into tea to give to those two psychos in the cabin."  
  
Akira: "Psychic."  
  
Yamagata: "Oh whatever. Anyway, I'm just saying that you two can just sit back and relax 'cause they'll be up and about in no time flat!"  
  
Kaori: "Thank you Yama..."  
  
BANG!!!  
  
Forgetting himself for a moment, Akira let out a stream of curses in his shock over the loud noise. It had come from the cabin, so now they were running towards it. Kai, Kaneda, Frost and Kei came running as well. They reached the cabin and slammed the door open, and what they saw was at the very least ~~~ hectic. The Colonel was in the middle of the room, trying futily to restore order, Valerie, with her head completely covered in bandages was holding back a heavily bandaged Tetsuo who was practically climbing the walls with rage at three wrinkled children, two boys and one girl, who were all the while screaming their heads off.  
  
Yamagata: "Those must be the Espers right?"  
  
Kaori: "Yeah! They must have just arrived!"  
  
Akira: "DAMN IT, SHUT THE HELL UP AND LISTEN TO ME!!!"  
  
Everyone in the cabin gasped and fell silent. Everything had now grinded to a halt. Akira massaged his temple and spoke through gritted teeth, as though he was getting one of Tetsuo's headaches.  
  
Valerie: "Are you okay Spark?"  
  
Akira looked over at Valerie and his mood changed instantaneously. He smiled at her and looked her over as if to check wether or not she had any other wounds other than the one in her head.  
  
Akira: "I'm so happy that you're all right Valerie, but first things first as they say. This mess has to be straightened out now. Now, you three, how did you get here? Was it due to the energy that Valerie expelled in her fight with Tetsuo?"  
  
The Espers nodded, still shook up over the previous commotion in which, they explained, They had finally arrived in the physical world and had landed right on top of Tetsuo. Tetsuo had of course been awakened by this, saw them, and had reacted in what Masaru said to be a very primitive manner. Tetsuo flipped him off and snarled. Then Kiyoko looked Akira up and down, cocked her head to the side a little bit as if trying to understand something. Finally she spoke.  
  
Kiyoko: "Akira, why are you bishounen?"  
  
Akira blushed, the others laughed and Masaru shook with jealousy over the attention that the now adult-bodied Akira was getting from Kiyoko.  
  
Colonel: "This is going to be a long day..." 


	14. Chapter 14 Time For Preparation

What It Means to Be Human- Part 2  
  
Chapter 14- Time for Preparation  
  
The Espers were now very busy exploring the grounds of the temple complex with great enthusiasm. For the first time in a long while they could move around where they wanted, with no one testing them, no one controlling every single movement that they made. Kiyoko sat by the pond where Akira had fused with Drake and watched as large koi fish swam through the pristine waters. Masaru sat with the Colonel and Frost, listening to the conversations taking place between the two while Valerie conversed with Tetsuo via a mental link. Masaru was smart enough not to listen in on their telepathic conversation; he figured that it would be rude of him to do so. Takashi was a little blue bundle of energy, going wherever his heart told him to go, everything was so new and exciting to him. He watched while the others made some more repairs to the complex and he even helped to cook lunch, although he did get flour all over himself and Kei, but she just laughed it off and told him to go wash up. But he was bored now. He had seen just about everything in the complex but he still wanted to play some more. It was then he looked over at the cabin near the pond. Outside the cabin, Akira and Kaori were waiting for Valerie and Tetsuo to come out. It appeared that now that the Espers had arrived there the psychic energy that they were generating was doing a little extra healing on the two injured in the cabin. Frost had declared that he would let Tetsuo and Valerie leave the cabin later that afternoon. Takashi viewed Akira and Kaori playing a game with a wooden board and small pieces of wood with symbols and writing on them. He decided to go and see just what they were playing. Even with the obvious changes that had taken place, he was still in awe of Akira's presence, which the young man must have sensed...  
  
Akira (smiling): "Good afternoon Takashi!"  
  
Takashi: "Um...hello."  
  
Kaori: "Is something wrong?"  
  
Takashi: "N...no, I was just wondering...what are you playing?"  
  
Kaori: "Oh this? I'm teaching Akira here how to play shogi. Would you like to watch us play Takashi?"  
  
Takashi: "Yes please."  
  
Akira: "I have to warn you though, so far, I'm a terrible player. I haven't won a game yet!"  
  
Takashi seemed a little surprised that Akira of all people found it difficult to do anything, much less play a game of shogi. Again, Akira must have sensed what Takashi was thinking..."  
  
Akira (chuckling): "You've got to learn this important lesson my friend...nobody, not even I can do everything."  
  
Takashi: "I'm sorry..."  
  
Kaori: "He's not mad Takashi. You don't have to apologize to anybody."  
  
Takashi: "I'm sorry."  
  
Akira: "Takashi, you're apologizing again."  
  
Takashi: "I'm sorry. Oops, sorry about that. Uh, I mean..."  
  
Akira groaned and fell backwards onto the grass in a style that Kaori had only seen in anime. Kaori just laughed while poor Takashi was left wondering just what was so funny. And inside the cabin, trouble was brewing in the form of a cranky white haired teen...  
  
Colonel: "Oh kami, not this again..."  
  
Tetsuo: "You can keep that garbage away from me!"  
  
Frost: "It is only an herbal remedy for your wounds."  
  
Tetsuo: "In case you haven't noticed, the hole in my gut has closed over! That st stings like hell and I don't trust anything that you'd try to give me so go away!"  
  
Frost: "I'm only trying to help you..."  
  
Tetsuo: "I said go away!"  
  
A loud bang was heard in the cabin. Frost and Tetsuo's heads turned and saw Valerie's fist had connected to the floor. Her other hand was pressed against her head, which was still covered in bandages. You couldn't even see any of her hair. And she looked pissed.  
  
Valerie: "You two are so impossible! You won't even let a girl sleep! Frost, just give him the remedy. And Tetsuo, shut the hell up and take your medicine. As for me, I'm going outside. I can't stand being cooped up in here with such noisy bickering men."  
  
Tetsuo: "Jeez, do you have PMS or what?"  
  
Outside the cabin, everyone heard a loud smacking sound and a surprised sounding yelp of pain. Kaori sighed, stating that that sort of thing would probably become routine around here. A few seconds later everyone's heads turned as the cabin's door flew open and out flew Tetsuo with a red handprint on his face. He seemed panicked as he flew off towards the safety of the dojo whilst an enraged Valerie ran out of the cabin shaking her fist.  
  
Valerie: "How's that for PMS you god damned baka!"  
  
Akira (gasping): "Valerie! You're all better! I'm so glad you're all right! When do you get to take your bandages come off?"  
  
Valerie took a moment to calm herself down before telling Akira that she could take the bandages off tomorrow morning when Kaneda went back into the city.  
  
Kaori: "But why is Kaneda going back to Neo-Tokyo tomorrow morning? Is something wrong?"  
  
Valerie: "He's going back to the city along with the Colonel in order to get the gang."  
  
Takashi: "The gang?"  
  
Kaori: "The Capsules Gang was the gang that Kaneda led back in the city a year ago. Now that the innocents have been resurrected, he's going to go pick them up and bring them here so that they can live here."  
  
Frost (stepping out of the cabin): "But they will find out about the Akira Project and they may also begin to develop powers of their own. Plus there's young Mr. Shima to consider."  
  
Kaori: "You're afraid that having more of his old friends around will make Tetsuo uncomfortable?"  
  
Frost: "No, I'm afraid that they will all have the same sort of reactions towards him as Yamagata did."  
  
Takashi: "...what's a capsule?"  
  
Colonel (stepping outside the cabin): "Drugs Takashi, capsules are drugs."  
  
Takashi: "Oh, okay."  
  
Valerie: "They may also start to develop powers of their very own. I tell you, it's like we've started some sort of club around here! But we should look on the positive side. At least we won't be the only ones with such abilities. We're not going to be alone anymore."  
  
Kei then ran over to them and proudly announced that the dojo had now been fully repaired, all that needed to be fixed up now was the surrounding grounds, and they could all take care of that on the weekend when the other members of the Capsules got better acquainted with the complex. Akira commented that that was a smart plan and that for now they should prepare for the arrival of the newcomers.  
  
Valerie: "Well I'm going to go and see if I can find some cleanup job for me to do."  
  
Akira: "Okay then, I'll come with you!"  
  
Valerie: "No thank you Spark, I'd like to do something myself."  
  
Akira: "But you're still hurt, you really should have someone with you to..."  
  
Valerie: "I SAID NO! I WANT TO BE ALONE FOR AWHILE PLEASE!"  
  
Akira took a few steps back, his jaw hanging open in sheer shock. In all the time that he had known her, Valerie had never once raised her voice at him or got angry with him. The startled expression remained on his face as Valerie ran over to the farthest section of the complex. Akira felt horrible.  
  
Kaori: "Do not feel so bad Akira, you did not do anything wrong and Valerie is not mad at you...she's mad at herself."  
  
Akira: "But...but why would she be so mad at herself?"  
  
Kaori: "She's the sort of person who believes that all life is precious. You know, the type that wouldn't hurt a fly. But despite the fact that it was the PMCM's doing, she almost killed everyone here. I'd say the experience has left her feeling pretty bad."  
  
Takashi: "She probably now knows what it's like to be Tetsuo now."  
  
Akira: "I...I had no idea...is there anything at all that we can do to help her?"  
  
Kaori: "You're very sweet but it is probably best that we leave her alone for a little while. A lot has happened and she probably needs some time to think."  
  
Akira lay down on the soft green grass and heaved a heavy sigh. A lot had happened to everyone, mainly due to him. He stared at the sky for a minute or two, mulling everything over in his mind.  
  
Akira: "Maybe if I had not returned, everything would have been better."  
  
Kaori: "Why do say such things?"  
  
Akira: "I mean, Valerie could have stayed in the city that night and not gone near the stadium and..."  
  
Kaori got up and grasped Akira by the shoulders, pulling him up so that they were face to face, the sudden action startling both Akira and the nearby Takashi.  
  
Kaori: "If she hadn't gone near the stadium that night you would have died, people would still remember the Akira Project, me, Frost and Yama would still be dead and we would never have gotten the chance for a whole new life. We're better off because of you! Don't you understand that?! And another thing, if you had died that night, Valerie would still be mourning over Drake!"  
  
Akira: "N...nani?! What do you mean she's stopped mourning over Drake?!"  
  
Kaori: "A little while ago she told me that when you fused with Drake's life force and became what you are now, she said that she could feel Drake's presence everywhere she went, like he was watching over her, telling her to enjoy life again. You've changed her for the better, despite recent events, and it's all thanks to you...I now know that she loves you very much."  
  
Kaori released Akira from her grip, letting him sit there in front of her for a moment in order to allow everything that she had said to sink in.  
  
Takashi: "Um...are you all right Akira? You're really quiet."  
  
Akira: "...that's the answer."  
  
Kaori and Takashi: "Nani?"  
  
Akira: "That's the answer to the question that I have been asking myself ever since she saved me from the stadium. I've been asking myself what makes a person a person. Is it power, strength, knowledge or something else? I know the answer now."  
  
Takashi: "...what's the answer?"  
  
Akira stood up and smiled; now looking quite happy. He looked down at the two figures awaiting his response."  
  
Akira: "Courage, instinct, friendship, trust, unity and love. These are some of the most powerful qualities anyone can have. Our actions and emotions are what drive us and shape us. That is what it means to be human."  
  
Akira suddenly took of on a run, heading for the dojo with a huge mischievous grin on his face. Kaori shot up from her grassy seat and shouted...  
  
Kaori: "What are you up to?!"  
  
Akira (calling back): "Sore wa himitsu desu! Tell everyone to stay out of the dojo until I call for everyone to enter, I now have a surprise planned. Thank you both very much!"  
  
As Akira ran into the dojo, making sure to duck his head this time, Valerie came walking around the corner holding a wicker basket full of herbs and special leaves used for making tea. She spotted Akira just as he ran inside, slamming the doors shut and locking them with his telekinesis. Valerie called over to Kaori and Takashi with a worried look on her face.  
  
Valerie: "I hope that he's not mad or upset at me for yelling at him. I really didn't mean to do that..."  
  
Kaori: "Oh don't worry, he's as happy as a clam actually."  
  
Valerie: "Then why did he lock the door?"  
  
Kaori and Takashi looked at each other and then shouted to Valerie...  
  
Kaori and Takashi: "SORE WA HIMITSU DESU!!" 


	15. Chapter 15 Prelude to Tomorrow

Chapter 15- Prelude to Tomorrow

While Valerie stood there pondering why Takashi and Kaori just told her that it was all a secret Tetsuo was still hiding from Valerie inside the dojo after receiving the bright red handprint on his face. He had just now noticed that Akira had gone through all of the trouble to seal up the dojo so that nobody could get in or out without him knowing it. Tetsuo sat there on the main floor thinking about what Akira had in mind. It was then that the white haired teen's head shot up after hearing the sound of pots and pans clattering to the floor in the large kitchen that occupied one of the back rooms in the dojo. A quick stream of curses followed this sound. Curiosity immediately took over and Tetsuo got up and started walking over to the kitchen when Akira came running out of the kitchen covered from head to foot in flour. Akira spotted him and quickly grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into the kitchen.

Tetsuo: "Hey, hold it! What the hell are you doing?!"

Akira: "I thought I could do this by myself but I guess I can't. Can you please give me a hand with this since you're here? I know you don't really like me but I sure could use some help right now."

Tetsuo surveyed the kitchen. It looked like a tornado had swept through it. The floor, like Akira, was completely covered in flour. The sink was full of discarded pots, pans and dishes. Various bits of vegetables, mushrooms and meats littered the counters. A smirk formed on Tetsuo's grayish face.

Tetsuo: "Looks like you're trying to make a feast here."

Akira was wringing his hands nervously as his fellow psychic beheld what he had done.

Akira: "Yes. I was trying to cook a very large meal for everyone when Kaneda and the others come here. As a sort of celebratory meal. But I haven't been able to do anything right! I was never allowed near a stove when I was in the Akira Project and I guess Drake couldn't cook at all! Please help me Tetsuo, please?"

Tetsuo looked up at Akira's pleading blue eyes and sighed.

Tetsuo: "Alright, I'll help you out. But you have to do everything that I tell you to do okay?"

Akira: "Hai! Domo arigato gozimasu Tetsuo-kun!"

Tetsuo: "Yeah, whatever. Now first of all, you don't start to cook a meal like this before the morning that Kaneda's supposed to go out and get everyone."

Akira: "Oh..."

Tetsuo: "Secondly, we should clean up this mess so that we'll have a clean place to work with! You start putting the crap on the counters into the garbage and I'll sweep and mop the floor. Then we're both doing' the dishes."

Akira: "Hai. Hey Tetsuo, how come someone like you knows so much about kitchen stuff?"

Tetsuo: "Don't you ever tell anyone else but if you must know Home Ec was one of the only subjects in school that I was good at."

Akira: "Did you ever cook?"

Tetsuo: "Okanomiyaki and beef stew were my best meals. Don't tell anyone though."

Akira (nodding): "That's not a problem. Please hand me that sponge."

And so Tetsuo and Akira aka Spark began working on cleaning up the kitchen and the whole time that they were doing this something else was going on. Kai had just finished working on the living quarters that were in the building to the rear of the complex. He had managed to make the two largest rooms into bedrooms, the men on the left and the women on the right. Plus he had fixed up the two bathrooms in the living quarters for men's and women's use, replacing the showerheads. He sat out on the porch to take a quick break, for he had been working all day. He watched as Kaneda got himself ready to hit the road in the morning, with Kei there to assist by giving his bike a tune up. He had also heard from Kaori and the others that Akira had locked himself in the dojo and that Tetsuo was hiding from Valerie. Kai observed all of the activity taking place in their new home and he could have sworn he had heard Akira cursing inside the dojo over an hour ago.

Kai: "Sometimes I wonder how I got mixed up in something like this."

"Speak for yourself!"

Kai whirled around to see Yamagata standing there with a big smile on his face.

Kai: "Where the hell did you come from?!"

Yamagata: "I just teleported over here from the cabin. I think I'm starting to get the hang of the whole psychic power thing, what do you think?"

Kai: "You're right, I can sense you're getting better, keep it up!"

Yamagata sat down on the now clean wooden porch right next to his best friend. He heaved a great sigh of contentment as he watched and listened alongside his smaller companion. Yamagata had always found it funny that the happiest times in his life usually involved Kai. All that time wasted in the school, hanging out at that public fountain watching other people live their lives while Tokyo Shoe Shine Boy played softly in the background. Ah yes, that had to be his favorite song. Yamagata could hardly remember a time where he felt more at peace with himself than now.

Kai: "...hey Yamagata..."

Yamagata: "...yeah, what?"

Kai: "Do you like this place at all?"

Yamagata: "Sure, it's a hell of a lot better than some dirty city. I mean, look at the advantages...No smog."

Kai: "No seedy drug dealers trying' to push stuff on ya."

Yamagata: "No other gangs to push us around or steal our stuff."

Kai: "Nothing but trees, flowers, streams and ponds..."

Yamagata: "...and good friends."

Kai turned to look into Yamagata's dark eyes when he heard that last statement, but instead found himself surrounded by a warm and loving embrace, of which he felt like it could last forever. Kai leaned in closer and rested his head against Yamagata's chest, listening to the melody of his heartbeat. Slowly the pair looked into each other's eyes and Kai spoke softly...

Kai: "...please never leave again Yama-kun."

Yamagata smiled and ran his fingers through Kai's soft dark brown hair, his voice barely above a whisper.

Yamagata: "...I'll do my best Kai. Believe that."

And as their tender embrace grew stronger, their auras appeared around them and intertwined, the colors forming a protective cocoon of softly glowing and shining silver...

Meanwhile, in the dojo Akira and Tetsuo had just finished cleaning up the kitchen and had now sat down on the floor armed with pencils, cookbooks and recipe cards. They had now hit the planning stage of what was to be Akira's big welcome to the newcomers tomorrow.


	16. Chapter 16 A Leader's Thoughts

Chapter 16- A Leader's Thoughts

The great amount of activity that had taken place during the day had now given way to a warm quiet evening. Crickets chirped everywhere and you could hear the soft croaks of frogs at the pond near the cabin. You could see ever single star in the sky and the full moon glowed a pale yellow color and was the only illumination outside the buildings of the complex. Tetsuo and Akira were still locked up inside the kitchens of the dojo and they intended to stay there until the big surprise had been completed. Over at the rear living quarters that Kai had fixed up Kei had made everyone some dinner using several bento boxed lunches that she had taken from the dojo before Akira and Tetsuo had locked themselves in. Kaneda was all set to head back to Neo-Tokyo in the morning and there really was nothing else to do until the new arrivals came. So while everyone ate they talked about what their new arrivals would think of the place, what they'd be doing when they got there and of course how they might react to Tetsuo and to certain people's ever growing psychic powers.

Takashi: "…are they nice?"

Kai: "Yeah they are usually okay. They like to shoot their mouths off a little bit though."

Kaneda: "I 'aint gonna lie, they can be jerks sometimes. But you can always count on them to watch your back. Trust us kid, they are really gonna liven this place up!"

Colonel: "Great, that's just what we need around here…a bunch of rowdy teenagers smoking and drinking and doing god knows what!"

Yama: "I'll have you know that one of them went to A.A meetings for six months."

Frost: "Is that supposed to reassure us? 'Cause it is not helping."

Kiyoko: "We at least it will not be boring. Having more people here will be fun. They can tell us about all of the things that Masaru, Takashi and myself have missed out on. We all have a lot more freedom now and I for one wish to have fun with it. I'm going to expand my mind and learn more about the world."

Valerie: "Hear hear!"

Kei: "So what will you be up to Valerie?"

Valerie: "Hm…that's a good question Kei. I'm not sure, maybe I could be the mechanic around here. There are plenty of things in this place that will need fixing."

Colonel: "You could be the maintenance worker around here. Do you know how to fix water pipes and broken roofs?"

Valerie: "Of course, I took all sorts of trade courses at college."

Kaneda: "Nerd!"

Valerie laughed and threw a riceball at Kaneda's forehead. It struck with perfect accuracy, not only making a mess of Kaneda's forehead but causing him to fall back a little and hit the back of his skull against the wall. Unfortunately the bento boxed lunch he had been holding was now airborne. Everyone else could only watch as it sailed through the air and splattered against the back of the door.

Kai: "I just finished cleaning up in here you dumbasses!"

Masaru: "Oh do be quiet, this is very funny!"

Kai: "Why don't you go and look for some vanishing cream?"

This behavior continued on until 11:38 PM when Yamagata stated that he was tired and wanted to go and get some sleep. Everyone agreed to hit the hay now, especially Kaneda who had a long ride ahead of him in the morning. Now, at 11:53 PM everyone in the rear living quarters had settled into their beds and slowly letting sleep overtake them. The Espers were asleep almost immediately, their beds lined up close together underneath a small window. Soon the pale moonlight was streaming through the glass lightly illuminating their slumbering forms. In fact there was only one person left awake in the entire complex. Kaneda had snuck out of bed and walked barefoot through the grass outside the living quarters, clad in a simple white t-shirt and jean shorts. He felt very tired but he just could not sleep. Kaneda had a lot on his mind, and these thoughts left him with feelings of worry. He was nervous about how the gang would react to everything that had taken place and how their lives would soon change. Also, did he have the right to take them away from their home and drag them to the complex? And if and when they began to develop powers of their own, would they choose a violent path to use them? Sitting down at the pond bench Kaneda sighed and stared at the moon, letting those troublesome thoughts roll around in his mind, mulling over any possible answers to his own questions. He began to mutter to himself…

Kaneda: "Maybe I'm just being paranoid. Nobody here, not even Akira will ever be that powerful again. I can't say that they'll do what Tetsuo did; everybody reacts differently to new things. They'll be a little freaked out at first I'll bet. And besides, those guys are my friends too. I am not leaving them to waste their lives in that rat hole. At least here they'll stand a chance of living a better life. Who needs all of that big city crap when we can stay here and really enjoy ourselves and put ourselves to some good use. Heh, and all our teachers said we wouldn't amount to a thing! I can just imagine the looks on the guys faces when I come for them in the morning…"

After taking a few minutes to stare at the water, which rippled slightly as several large koi swam close to the surface Kaneda headed back to the rear living quarters for some sleep. He was really looking forward to seeing the rest of his buddies again. Not counting himself, Yamagata, Kaisuke and Tetsuo there were five other members of the original Capsules. Yuusha, who had a habit of dyeing his hair a pale blue. Tsubasa, an even bigger guy then Yamagata who didn't speak very much. Mikomi, known in the gang for being very blunt and often saying things that he really should keep to himself. And then there was Ashita and Dosei, who were together as much as Yamagata and Kaisuke. They made a pretty good team, seeing as how they always rode together in a two seater. The last time Kaneda saw the two of them Dosei had tried to knock out the leader of the Clowns by jumping onto his moving bike and clubbing him with his pipe. Joker just knocked Dosei over and ran over his arm. Thank goodness he got to a hospital before Tetsuo had the accident that had started all of this. Taking one last look at the moon Shotaro Kaneda walked in, gently closed the door and dropped on his bed and slept, not even bothering to pull the covers over him.

Name Translations

Ashita: Tomorrow

Dosei: Saturn

Mikomi: Hope

Tsubasa: Wings

Yuusha: Hero

(I don't know if the other Capsule members are named in the manga, so please bear with me.)


	17. Chapter 17 Kaori's Song

Chapter 17- Kaori's Song

Valerie was the last person to wake up the following morning, having been roused from her slumber by Kiyoko who immediately told her that Kaneda had left already for the city. When Valerie asked her why she had not been awakened earlier so that she could at least say "see you later", Kiyoko told her that Akira had contacted the Espers with his telepathy and told them to let Valerie sleep. Apparently Akira was afraid that Valerie still was not fully recovered from her ordeal with the PMCM. Kiyoko then left the living quarters to allow Valerie some privacy while she dressed. The bandages were now removed and the only physical trace of the PMCM was a reddish star shaped scar in the middle of her forehead. This did not concern her much however, she was not the type to go into a complete frenzy just because she now had a scar. As she stepped outside she chuckled at what Kiyoko had said about how Akira was concerned about her health.

Valerie: "Heh…that's Spark, such a gentleman. Hey guys, did you all get a good sleep?"

Takashi: "I never stayed up so late before, it was lots of fun! I slept almost as long as you did Miss Valerie!"

Valerie: "This isn't like you Takashi, what's got you so excited?"

Yamagata: "Oh he's just so happy that when Kaneda comes back he'll have the chance to make some more friends."

Frost: "Ah yes, to be so young and carefree. When such a simple thing as making a few new friends can bring so much joy into your heart."

Colonel: "Ha, it's just as I said before, you scientists are a bunch of romantics!

Valerie: "Hey guys, this may be a little off topic but what's that great smell? It smells absolutely delicious!"

Kei called over from the pond near the little cabin and said that whatever it was it was probably the big surprise that Akira and Tetsuo were concocting. Kei also added that until Kaneda and the others returned they all would have plenty of time on their hands to rest and relax. When asked what she was planning to do she answered by diving into the pond that Valerie would later be told had been named Tenshi Spring. Valerie decided to occupy her mind by practicing her telepathy with Kai and Masaru over by a large cherry tree. It's petals falling gracefully to the ground like newly fallen snow. After just an hour of practice Valerie and Kai were now able to carry out complete conversations with the more experienced psychic. Simple topics such as what their favorite foods, games and even television shows were talked about but they also "chatted" about their own unique experiences and their thoughts that were going on while the Neo-Tokyo incident involving Tetsuo was occurring. Kaori however was sitting amongst a cluster of rose bushes near a dried well close to the entrance to the compound. She had always loved the sweet romantic fragrance of the flowers. They filled her with a great sense of inner peace and tranquility. The feeling was now amplified by her newfound freedom and new life with those she loved and cared for. As the peaceful feeling steadily grew stronger in her heart something began to happen all around her. A soft amber colored mist surrounded her body, causing new life to be born in the blossoms surrounding her. Her newfound aura that went unnoticed by Kaori increased in strength as a song she had once known as a child re-emerged in her memory and quietly escaped her lips…

Kaori (singing softly): "Karada juu kizutsui kara te

Mamoritai kimi no koto wo

Chi wo nagasu koto sae kitto

Ima nana seizani shikatte yuu yo.

Kimi no hitomi murasa muyou

Sono hohoemi wo kowari dakishimete.

Itsumo kokoro no doko kara de

Yon de ita sagashiteta

Meguri kagayaku hoshi no mata daki

Meguriau tame futari kitto.

Setsunakute toki sae tomaru

Mamoritai kimi no koto wo

Baki wo koru omoi wo tsugete

Kiseki wo shinjita ikuman no yume.

Futari deatta ano ki kara

Konna kimochi yokan shi teidan no ka.

Soshite kokoro no doko kara de

Ugokidasu afuredasu

Mune no kaganari kikoeru hodo ni

Shizukana sekai futari dakedo.

Itsumo kokoro no doko kara de

Yon de ita sagashiteta

Meguri kagayaku hoshi no mata daki

Meguriau tame futari kitto.

Soshite kokoro no doko kara de

Ugokidasu afuredasu

Mune no kaganari kikoeru hodo ni

Shizukana sekai futari dakedo."

Kaori felt something the minute she finished her singing, it felt like a leaf was brushing up against her arm. Opening her eyes she let out a little gasp, for through what remained of her newfound aura she saw that the rose bushes had grown to about five feet in height from their original two and a half feet. And even as her aura dissipated she could still see new flower buds growing and blossoming. That was her gift she realized. To bring both life and strength to whomever and whatever needed it the most. Standing up slowly she ran her palm over the newborn blossoms that she had helped to create. Both through the power of her mind and the power of her voice. And in the bustling kitchens where Tetsuo and Akira worked feverishly Tetsuo could have sworn he had heard a Fushigi Yuugi song in his mind. Not to mention he now felt strangely energized and peaceful.

Akira: "Is there something wrong?"

Tetsuo: "…no…just listening to the wildcat."


	18. Chapter 18 Generations Collide part one

Chapter 18- Generations Collide (part one)

The sound of the rustling of leaves that whizzed past his head as he drove in the dim light of the new morning soon gave way to the sounds of civilization. Eventually Kaneda found himself driving into what he had once called his home. It was strange he thought, that he had not noticed the stink of exhaust or the noise of the city when he had lived there. Kaneda concluded that he now definitely preferred the roads in the woods to the chaos and confusion of the town and its highways. Still, in spite of himself it felt quite thrilling to be racing down the crumbling streets as fast as his bike could take him. He remembered how earlier that morning the Colonel had gotten a little mad with him when Kaneda told him to stay behind. Kaneda explained to him that the best way to find the gang was to think like them, and the Colonel knew nothing of how the rest of the Capsules thought. Bringing him along would just slow down the search. Eventually Colonel Shikishima had to agree with Kaneda and told him to be very careful. Tucking that old conversation away in the back of his mind Kaneda spent the next hour and a half driving around to all of the Capsules old hangouts, homes and even to the vocational training school, just in case. But he found nothing, not the slightest trace of his friends. He thought hard, trying to figure out where they could possibly be. Where else would a bunch of bikers go?

Kaneda: "Dosei, Tsubasa, Mikomi, Ashita, Yuusha…where the hell are you guys?"

Kaneda eventually came to the ruins of the underground complex that had once housed Akira near the Olympic Stadium. He had heard that it was being used as a homeless shelter in the wake of the "Akira Event". He thought that just maybe his friends could be there, trying to live amongst other survivors. Another hour passed and still nothing. Not a trace. Parking his now dusty red machine next to an enormous slab of uprooted concrete and asphalt Kaneda sat down in the dirt, defeated. In his momentary lapse into depression he began to think…

Kaneda: "This is totally ridiculous! Akira said that he revived everyone, including my gang. I've been to every place that those jerks could possibly be and there's no sign of them. What if…what is Akira really didn't bring them back? What if…"

"_If the great lord said that they have arisen, then it must be true."_

Kaneda rose up faster than a lightning bolt, having heard the strange telepathic message. He decided to try his own telepathy out. Maybe he could reach whoever had just spoken to him.

_Kaneda: "Who…said that?"_

And once again the voice spoke inside his brain.

"Your skills are weak. Very weak indeed. I can barely hear your voice child. It would appear that being in the presence of the great lord has only just awakened what abilities you may have."

_Kaneda: "I asked…question! Who are y…you?"_

"_You are very rude child. You shall know my identity all in good time. The least that you can do at the moment is thank me for informing you that your allies are alive and well."_

_Kaneda: "Really? Do…y'know…where they are? P…lease tell me."_

"_At leas this time around you expressed some courtesy. I know where they are, they are here with me. They are waiting to meet him, we are all waiting to meet him."_

_Kaneda: "…You talking…Akira?"_

"_I know full well that you live at the side of Lord Akira and I wish for you to take us there, to take us to him as soon as possible."_

_Kaneda: "First of all…I'm no…servant if t…that's what you meant…by living…at his side. And he…no great lord. He's an equal…he's a friend."_

"_Ah how little you know and understand. Lord Akira is the ultimate power, born into the world as a mere human, transformed into my savior, a new god!"_

_Kaneda: "Akira's no god! He...always been human!"_

"_How can you consider him less than that? The power to literally move mountains, to bend hundreds to his will, to create an entire universe that fits in the palm of your hand!"_

_Kaneda: "…hold on a…second…"_

"_You held his own personal universe in the palm of your hand child, and moments before that you actually saw it all with your own eyes. Your eyes even had the chance to glimpse into the early lives of those subjects that came after I did."_

_Kaneda: "You…you're one of them?"_

"_I am what you might refer to as an earlier model, yes. Those in charge of the project believed me to be dead after one of their many useless experiments. They abandoned me, like a lifeless lump of garbage. But it was all a trick. I was freed. I am the nineteenth child of the process with which politicians and scientists had hoped to create the greatest power on Earth. And after Lord Akira's first awakening I devoted myself, body and soul to awaiting his return. And I am not his only follower child, believe that. You can find my followers, your friends and me within the oldest sections of the city, at a place where the stars in heaven meet our eyes. I shall be waiting; all of us shall be waiting. I am sure that you can figure out my clues child."_

_Kaneda: "Who are...you?"_

"_You may call me Lady Miyako, servant to our great lord and master. Now make haste and come before us."_

And with those words still ringing within his brain Kaneda wasted no time in driving away from the shelter, all the while trying to figure out the clues that had been laid before him. The woman obviously thought of Akira as some sort of messiah, likely in a religious sense. She sounds like a cult leader of some kind, Kaneda surmised. As for her story about having been in the Akira Project Kaneda considered that to be total truth. She had carried on a lengthy conversation inside his head after all. As for the clues this Miyako woman had given him he could not figure that out as quickly as he had on the other points of his dilemma. While it was obvious that he had to go to the oldest section of the city Kaneda could not imagine a place where "the stars in heaven meet our eyes". What could the enigmatic clue possibly mean? The only way you could see the stars in heaven was either looking up at the night sky or…then it hit him…in grade school he had gone on a field trip to an observatory in order to study the constellations. That was where this Miyako woman wanted him to go, to an old observatory!

To be continued…


End file.
